


Forging Mnemosyne

by k_no_b



Category: Naruto
Genre: Additional Warnings Apply, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, Hyuuga Neji Lives, Language, Repressed Memories, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:20:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 84,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23640724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/k_no_b/pseuds/k_no_b
Summary: During a less than exciting mission to the Land of Hot Water, Tenten receives a vision of a young child standing at an ocean's edge, clutching a strange kunai. Realizing that she has seen the weapon before, Tenten finds the kunai in a long-forgotten chest. It is then that Tenten realizes that it is not a vision she was seeing: it was a memory.
Relationships: Hyuuga Neji/Tenten, Rock Lee/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 94
Kudos: 155





	1. One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying something a little *new* (for me, at least). Please pardon any canon inaccuracies.
> 
> Post schedule: updates every Monday.

* * *

_**\- FORGING MNEMOSYNE -** _

* * *

_I'm just action_

_And at other times reaction_

_All I owe, all I owe_

_In strides I spend to the finish line_

_-[Nothing to Remember, Neko Case](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-lW8eqwNhA)_

* * *

_**\- one -** _

It is no secret that Tenten is feeling underwhelmed by their latest mission.

When the Rokudaime had tasked Team Gai with traveling to the southeastern point of the Land of Fire to receive a message from the Hot Water daimyo, Tenten had almost scoffed, but had withheld her argument until they'd left the Hokage's office. "It's just—why can't we get something with a little more grit, you know?" she had said, beginning to tromp down the staircase set inside Hokage Mountain.

Neji had sent her a sharp look of disapproval as he and Lee had followed. Tenten had clamped down on her slew of complaints, waiting until Neji had murmured, "You disrespect the Hokage by saying this mission is beneath you" before snapping, "What is the _point_ anymore?!"

She had squinted as they emerged into the bright summer sunshine of a Konoha afternoon. Irritably, she continued, "All of this traipsing around, acting like nothing more than messengers. Why is he even sending all of us—one person could handle this job easily!"

Lee had raised his eyebrows at Tenten's outburst and opened his mouth to offer a more positive outlook, but Neji had interrupted, gaze narrowed. "We serve the Hokage, which in turn is serving the village. It is not our place to decide which tasks are important and which are not," he'd reminded her sternly. Tenten had rolled her eyes at that, and unwilling to have it out with either of her teammates, had stormed off to pack for the mission without another word.

But now, as they move through the branches of a dense wood, her frustration resurfaces. They'd only been on diplomacy missions for months. After the war, as the world adjusted to a new era of peace, Team Gai would ferry back and forth between countries, carrying messages, escorting dignitaries, standing silent in meetings—a presence of Konoha's power and goodwill. Which Tenten knew was more than what most teams were given charge of these days. Still, she finds it all incredibly boring. Her fingers twitch near constantly from the lack of metal and sweat and adrenaline. Her life has seen a great decrease in action, and it is an adjustment she hasn't quite made.

She's never considered herself bloodthirsty, not like some of the other ninja from the village. But there had been an unsettling in the pit of her stomach that had crept up at the conclusion of the war, a slight emptiness that felt too close to purposelessness. It had been gnawing at her for months, and no matter how much she trained with her teammates, or polished her weapons, or went on effortless missions, Tenten can't shake it. And it is starting to show.

Tenten pulls ahead of her teammates, rushing to the front of their formation in a burst of chakra, her hand lingering on the pouch at her waist.

"Don't get too far ahead," Neji cautions from behind.

Tenten rolls her eyes and considers pouring on more speed. But, deciding instead to conserve her energy, Tenten heeds him, shifting to a steadier pace.

Like all their other missions lately, this one is simple in nature: pick up a message from the Land of Hot Water and come back to Konoha: straightforward, easy, and _uneventful_. Tenten wonders why she even bothered to come as prepared as she had.

At midday, they pause their travel through the trees to discuss lunch. Tenten, who would rather get the mission over with, opts for them to keep going until they reach the border that the Land of Fire shares with the Land of Hot Water. But Lee and Neji veto her.

Her sour look earns her an amused smirk from Neji as they drop to the forest floor, deciding to find a clear area to eat and rest. "There's no point in arriving at the border exhausted. We are cleared for two days of travel," Neji tells her, moving past to sit next to Lee.

"Someone sounds like he's out of shape," Tenten retorts. He chuckles, and Tenten sighs aloud, begrudgingly following him.

They eat in contented silence as the afternoon gets hotter. Lee says that he wants to spend the rest of the afternoon walking. Neji readily agrees, and Tenten grumbles. "It'll take us so much longer," Tenten mutters.

"Tenten, do you have something to do back at the village?" Lee asks, raising his eyebrows.

Tenten purses her lips, ignoring Neji as he smugly waits for her answer. "No," she replies, reaching down to rummage through her pack for another apple—but she hadn't packed any spares. She sighs in irritation, her stomach grumbling.

Neji's hand nudges hers, offering an orange. Tenten takes it gratefully, her annoyance with him sliding away. "So impatient," he scoffs under his breath, only for her ears.

Tenten unceremoniously drops her orange peels on Neji's feet.

Lee sets an unusual leisurely pace, happy to bask in the early summer sunshine. Neji is detailing the new training regimen he'd worked out with his uncle for Hanabi's lessons, answering Lee's probing questions on how he's started to incorporate more taijutsu.

Tenten rolls her neck, listening to Neji's analysis of Hanabi's progress over the last six months. It was odd to think of training in such traditional, analytical terms; these days Neji and Tenten's sessions largely consisted of staying in shape, not out of any desperation to master jutsu or technique—those days seemed largely behind them.

Tenten frowns, absently reaching for a shuriken to fiddle with. _Why does everything have to change?_ she thought, a pinch of discomfort cinching in her chest.

Neji glances at her, as if sensing her mood change, but says nothing, finishing his assessment of some of the younger Hyuga generation's skills. Tenten tries not to feel jealous. A few months after the war, Hiashi had asked Neji to take over most of the clan responsibility in teaching the Hyuga techniques to the younger ones, while Hiashi focused on preparing Hanabi for clan leadership. Which meant less time for Tenten.

 _Not that it matters_ , Tenten reminds herself for the umpteenth time. _We're not genin anymore. We're not Team Gai like we used to be, not since—_

A pang in her chest cuts off the thought, her eyelids fluttering as she pushes away the memories: Gai, returning crippled, his limbs loose and drained of power; Lee, tears pouring down his cheeks in anguish, in exhaustion; Neji, bleeding out on the ground, half-dead already. . .

"Tenten?"

Tenten winces and looks up, meeting Neji's focused gaze. She forces a smile to her mouth and teases, "It's been a long time since you critiqued me like that. It sounds like Hiashi-sama is prepping you to be an instructor. Tell me, when are you going to sign up to teach at the Academy?"

Neji lifts an eyebrow, clearly not falling for her attempt to change the subject. Lee, however, jumps at the suggestion. "Neji!" he exclaims, turning to view him. "You must! You would be a wonderful teacher! Almost as youthful as Gai-sensei!"

Neji looks away from Tenten reluctantly to frown at Lee. Tenten releases a private smirk and tunes into Lee's excited discourse on how good of a teacher Neji would be, chiming in with her own mocking commentary. It only takes around five minutes before Neji is heading the front of their formation, stepping farther away so as not to hear.

"He is disinterested in our suggestion, I think," Lee says to Tenten.

Tenten chuckles, thinking of Neji teaching in one of the classrooms. The image leaves her feeling discomfited, rather than amused.

As the afternoon wanes on, Lee grows restless once more. He interrupts Tenten as she's giving a detailed history of the Treasured Tools—an obsession she'd retained ever since she'd handled them during the war.

"Enough chatter!" Lee says, causing Tenten and Neji to glance over at him. Their green-clad teammate is in the middle of performing a handstand. Lee's black hair swings down, exposing his forehead, his dark eyes burning with a challenge. "We need to keep our bodies prepared for the mission! Tenten, Neji, join me!"

Neji tells him a flat, "No."

But Tenten, after walking a few steps, sighs and drops her head, stretching out her hands and straightening her body above her. "Race you," she calls to Lee as she moves her arms with surprising speed. Lee lets out a whoop and hurries to catch up. Neji shakes his head, watching them, unable to help the relaxed smile that rests on his mouth.

Lee outpaces Tenten by several yards by the time they reach their halfway point—a valley with a small lake. Tenten sighs as she lets herself fall onto her back, thankful for the cushioning of the overgrown grass that softens her descent. She stares up at the sky for a moment, sensing Neji before he appears beside her. He looks down at her with a slight smile on his face, though from Tenten's perspective, he's frowning. "Enjoy yourself?" he asks lightly.

"You know how I hate losing," Tenten answers.

Neji's mouth quirks, glancing up to view Lee. "He's doing pushups now. Aren't you going to join him?" he inquires, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Fuck off, Neji," Tenten snaps playfully with a roll of her eyes.

Neji chuckles and moves to her side, holding out his hand. Tenten lets him pull her to her feet, eyes lingering on his smug smirk. He pauses for a moment and squeezes her hand once before letting his arm fall back to his side. He turns away, striding through the grass to where Lee is energetically doing one-armed pushups. "You set up the perimeter, Tenten," Neji calls over his shoulder.

With a grumble, Tenten unrolls her large scroll and sets to work.

After dinner, night settles around the three comfortably, and as soon as they roll out their bedrolls, Lee sets off in describing his most recent encounter with a civilian girl, around their age. As Lee begins to extol the girl's youth and beauty, Tenten catches Neji's eye, struggling against the amused laugh bubbling up her throat. She doesn't miss the twitch of a smirk at the corner of her teammate's mouth.

They let Lee ramble on for what feels like an eternity, with Tenten interjecting questions every now and then, her curiosity deepening over this new development in Lee's life with each answer.

Finally, after the moon has traversed to its peak, Lee releases a big yawn, utters a goodnight, and rolls onto his side. Not a moment later, his resonant snores rise within their small camp.

Tenten smiles fondly at him, raising an eyebrow at Neji. "Things really have changed, huh? A year ago, his greatest wish was to marry Sakura." She sighs, shaking her head, unable to keep the grin off her face. "About time he let that go, if you ask me."

Neji says nothing, letting his silence serve as agreement. Tenten picks at her blanket, thinking. A blush rises to her cheeks. She says with a laugh, "Before you know it, we'll be having people call us 'Auntie Ten' and 'Uncle Neji'."

Neji grimaces. "We're still a few years away from that, I hope," he murmurs, shaking his head.

"That reminds me," Tenten says with a perched eyebrow. "How is Hinata? Confessed to Naruto yet?"

Neji sighs and rubs his eyes. "No. She's too shy."

"Maybe she should go to Ino. For, you know, tips."

Her mouth splits into a wider grin at Neji's focused glare, his eyes narrowed. "Very amusing," he mutters, sounding distinctly unamused.

Tenten chuckles and lies down. Quiet settles between them, and she can hear Neji shifting his weight, attempting to get more comfortable for his watch. Though the world is at peace, old habits die hard for Team Gai, and the duty of keeping watch had fallen to Neji for the evening.

Lee's snores continue to break through the night, and Tenten smiles, her fingers fiddling with a loose string on her sleeve.

"You should sleep," Neji says from his post.

"Can't."

Neji considers this in silence, and Tenten shifts onto her back to gaze blankly up at the stars. After a moment, she's sitting up again and rustling through her scroll, before summoning a bottle of polish and a set of shuriken. She lays them out on her bedroll in front of her and sets to work.

She feels Neji's eyes on her and says, not looking up, "You can sleep if you want. I'll keep watch."

He shakes his head. "No. I'll stay up with you."

Her lips quirk with a smile, the blades gleaming in her hands. There is silence for a stretch, and Tenten is so preoccupied with attending to her weapons, that she doesn't break her concentration to check on Neji. She assumes he's fallen asleep leaning against the tree, but when she stows away her shuriken and glances at him, he is still awake, watching her steadily.

"I find it soothing, to watch you polish your weapons," he says by way of explanation. "It's almost like meditation."

Tenten grins, flattered, as she reaches for a nunchaku. "Well, it's not like there's anything to be soothed _from_ , lately," she says after a pause, her tone tending towards bitter.

Neji waits a beat, then says, "The war couldn't last forever, Tenten."

She sharply tightens the nunchaku; the chain _chings_ from the strain. "I didn't say I wanted it to," she says lightly.

"You want things to be as they were before," Neji deduces, settling into the tree behind him. "To have a reason to stay up and keep watch at night."

Tenten mulls this over. "I want to feel like we have a purpose still. Like we still have something to offer the village," she mutters, heart beating fast at this hidden-away confession. But she and Neji had always had an understanding between the two of them—an awareness of not only each other's physical skills, but of their emotions and thoughts. Tenten almost snorts—after seven years of partnership, it's a wonder they speak aloud at all.

He tilts his head, thoughtful, pale eyes on her fingers as she works. "Must we be soldiers to be useful?" he asks. "Isn't it enough that we're devoted? That we are willing to sacrifice?"

"'Sacrifice is a ninja's greatest gift'," Tenten says, quoting from a philosophy book they'd had to read in their Academy days. While it was a tenet of their livelihood, it had never sat well with her. Before Naruto, she and Neji used to have the same perspective on it.

Neji's mouth twitches, not quite smiling. His face softens with familiarity, with affection. "Since when are you a philosopher?"

Tenten scoffs, oiling the wooden handles. "You know I'm too practical for that. It's just . . ." she sighs, setting the nunchaku aside to look at him squarely, "how do we change ourselves, Neji? To fit into this timeline where there is no war, only peace? How do we . . . let go of everything we've been trained to be?"

Neji contemplates her question for a long moment, earnestly holding her gaze. Finally, he releases a small, gentle smile. "Why do we have to let go? Why can't we learn to adapt?"

"You're sidestepping my question," Tenten says firmly, shooting him a look.

"Fine," Neji releases. "You have two options. You either move with the times—with peace, adapt into a kunoichi that's content with paperwork and teaching genin, taking on a handful of missions every few months, or. . ." He trails off, his features shifting to something more serious. "Or you don't. You live in the past."

Tenten grumbles at this answer, pressing her lips together. "And?" she prompts. "What am I supposed to choose?"

Neji shrugs, and crosses his arms, resettling against the tree. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"That's not very helpful," Tenten mutters.

Neji sighs in exasperation. "What do you want, Tenten? You've been complaining about the lack of missions, the lack of anything to do for months now. This is the way things are, for now, for the foreseeable future. How will you adjust?"

"I don't know. But I feel . . . stagnant. Like everything in our lives has come to a standstill." She grasps the ninja tool again, examining it. "You have your clan . . . your bloodline training and your little cousins. Lee has Gai-sensei and his taijutsu techniques . . . the new civilian girl. What do I have? What good is a weapons mistress if there are no more battles?"

Her question hangs heavily in the air between them. She flicks her eyes to Neji, her heart racing a little at the concerned expression on his face. She flushes, embarrassed at how bare her thoughts have been laid out before him. "Forget it. Forget I said anything," she says, quickly putting away her tools. She lays down and turns on her side, pulling her blanket up over her shoulder.

Neji says nothing, but Tenten can still feel his eyes on her until she slips, blissfully, into unconsciousness.

* * *

In the morning, Tenten wakes to Lee making breakfast over a small fire. He grins brightly at her and whispers, an octave lower than his usual tone, "Good morning! Did you sleep well?"

Tenten nods, pulling her blanket tighter around her shoulders as she sits up; the morning is cool and misty. Her gaze wanders to Neji, who is lying down with his back to them.

"What time did you switch?" Tenten asks Lee, nodding at Neji.

"Around two. He seemed tired."

Tenten mulls this over and hopes Neji hadn't spent all night thinking about what she'd said. She's embarrassed enough without her teammate pitying her. Slowly, she gets to her feet and rustles around in the underbrush for more limbs to feed the fire.

Lee is assembling what appears to be omelets, though the eggs are small. Noticing her questioning gaze, Lee says, "They are quail eggs. I found them in the bushes when I was looking for branches to start the fire. Much better than the protein bars we packed, hm?" He smiles happily, pleased with himself, and Tenten can't help but grin in response.

The small fire pops as Tenten adds in a few more branches. The eggs sizzle in the pan—another item helpfully stored away within Tenten's scroll. She crouches next to Lee, watching as he expertly flips the eggs into an omelet. "It's been forever since I had quail eggs," Tenten mutters.

Lee nods, carefully maneuvering the omelet around the pan. "It feels like ages since we have done something like this, the three of us," he agrees quietly. "I miss it. And I wish Gai-sensei were here."

"Me too," Tenten says.

Lee glances up at her, his dark eyes unreadable. "Tenten, I have been worried about you. Ever since the war—"

Tenten scoffs and stands to her feet. "Did you and Neji decide before the mission to corner me or was it an unspoken agreement?"

Lee's mouth thins in disappointment. "We did not discuss anything. But it is obvious that you are unhappy."

Tenten crosses her arms, letting her gaze wander through the trees. "So?"

"We do not like it when you are unhappy," Lee answers simply with a shrug.

Tenten purses her lips. She shoots another glance to Neji's sleeping form, mouth twisting. "I'm just . . . restless. That's all."

"Because of the lack of missions?" Lee turns back to the skillet, thankfully giving Tenten some space to think without scrutiny.

"Because of the lack of _everything_ , Lee. Life is different now."

Lee sits back on his heels, studying the burgeoning flames. Thoughtfully, he replies, "You cannot stop change. You just have to adjust to it."

"You and Neji definitely talked before we left, didn't you?" she accuses, eyes narrowing.

Lee does nothing to hide his smile. He shrugs, meeting her eyes. "You are our teammate. What else could we do, if not check on you?"

As touched as she is by this sentiment, its implication leaves her indignant. Tiredly, she sinks to kneel on the ground, shaking her head. "We're all adults now, Lee. You and Neji have your own lives. You don't need to worry about how I'm living mine."

Lee opens his mouth to reply but halts as Neji turns to face them from a few feet away. He glares at them, bleary-eyed, but says nothing. Lee lets out a sheepish "good morning" and gestures to the eggs he's cooking, an offering of apology for waking him up. Neji nods, still scowling. Quietly, Lee assembles their breakfast, and the three eat it in silence, listening to the birds chirp in the trees.

Halfway through breakfast, an idea pops into Tenten's head. Tentatively, she asks, "Neji, can we visit a hot spring? Since we'll be so close to the border anyway?"

Neji is consulting the mission scroll when he answers absentmindedly, "We're on a mission, Tenten. Not a vacation."

Tenten sighs, savoring the last of the quail eggs in her mouth. Lee sends her a sympathetic smile.

Neji, pulled out of his reverie by her silence, glances up at her then, eyes catching on her sulking form. After a moment, his expression shifts, softening, as he says, "Perhaps we can visit one hot spring once we've made our rendezvous point. We'll see."

Tenten meets his eyes and sends him a small, grateful smile. "Thanks, Neji."

As they near the Land of Hot Water, the air thickens around them with steam. Tenten feels her pores open and breathes in the heady scent of tropical steam, filling her lungs with it. The valley they've been walking through has grown hilly, grassy slopes stretching their calves. Tenten takes a deep whiff as a breeze rushes down to meet them. She smiles at the sharp tang of the ocean.

They crest another hill and pause, the border of Hot Water laid out beneath them. There is a fishing village settled below, boasting a tiny harbor and a few thatched roofs where chimney smoke winds out.

"We have arrived!" Lee chirrups, setting his hands on his hips in triumph.

Tenten smiles in answer, glancing from the village to the docks and the thin stretch of beach. A memory swirls to the forefront of Tenten's mind, and she squints, eyes locked, immovable, on the shoreline.

_She clutches the kunai tighter in her small fist, holding it close to her chest. The waves in front of her are choppy, the sky an ominous gray. "Mommy?" Tenten says, her voice tremulous with anxiety._

_She waits for what seems like hours, but the waves only push and pull, kissing the shore, the tide rising until it is touching her sandaled feet. Tenten crouches in the sand and feels tears rush down, making hot tracks down her cheeks. "Baba?"_

_She looks up and down the stretch of beach, but there is no one. In the distance, she can see a wooden structure, tethering small boats to land. With a hiccup, Tenten resolves herself and gets to her feet. She takes two steps and then collapses facedown into the sand, black engulfing her._

Tenten gasps, her body shuddering as she emerges from the trance, her eyes wide. Lee says over her shoulder, "What is it, Tenten?"

Tenten hesitates, clenching and unclenching her fist, heartbeat thudding in her chest. "I've been here before," she finally murmurs.

She feels Lee and Neji exchange a look at her back, senses Neji's probing eyes between her shoulder blades. They are both eerily silent for a moment. Then Lee says curiously, "When was that, Tenten?"

She shrugs, jittery, brown eyes flitting over the grassy hills below them. To the south there is a small village, walled in, with its back to the sea. Tenten can see the docks where a few ships bob in the water. _The same_ , she thinks. _They're the same._

Feeling her teammates' uncertainty increase, Tenten shoves away the pressing thoughts and shoots them both a quick smile. She points down casually at their meeting point and says, "Well? Aren't we going?"

Lee and Neji stare at her, but only let a second pass before joining her to walk down the hill.

* * *

The Rokudaime had extended a hand of friendship to the Hot Water daimyo, a gesture of support in the unification of the shinobi nations that he was trying to achieve. Konoha was largely spearheading the endeavor, with assistance from Sunagakure. Due to the evacuation of the Land of Hot Water during the war, and without a large offensive ninja village, Hatake Kakashi had thought it would be beneficial to establish a stronger alliance with the Land of Fire's neighbor. Several weeks prior, the Rokudaime had visited the Hot Water daimyo to discuss a partnership, but the daimyo had seemed uninterested at the time. Kakashi had sent Team Gai to collect an answer, one way or another.

"I wonder what their answer will be," Lee muses aloud, tapping his chin.

"They're too isolationist," Neji says as they traipse down to their meeting point. "They stayed out of the war that threatened their village. Why would they unite with the world during a time of peace, if they would not join us during war?"

Lee hums, thoughtful. "Perhaps the war made them more willing to be more united to other countries, Neji. The war changed a lot of things."

 _You can say that again_ , Tenten thinks as they move through tall fountain grass. "Would have been nice if they could have just sent word, rather than have us travel all the way here, then," she grumbles under her breath. Lee is oblivious, taking the head of their formation, but Neji catches her eye, raising a judgmental eyebrow. "You know it's true," Tenten mutters.

Neji shakes his head. "What do you want, Tenten? One minute you're complaining about the lack of missions, and the next you're dissatisfied with having to go at all."

Tenten presses her lips together tightly to ward off a sharp retort. She has no rational response. At least, not one that Neji wouldn't see right through, and she's too agitated to try to dive deep into her feelings to self-reflect. "Never mind," she says, pushing past her friend to join Lee at the front, leaving him behind.

The Hot Water daimyo had sent two representatives of Yugakure with his answer. Their discussion is short, being that it was a simple hand-off, but that doesn't stop Lee from probing the Hot Water ninja about their village. "Your village does not send you on combat missions, is that right?" Lee boldly asks the two ninja.

Beside Tenten, Neji is stowing away the sealed scroll into his pack. She smirks, smug, at Neji's muttered curses at Lee's nosiness.

"We're largely pacifists, yes," says the Yugakure kunoichi, raising her chin proudly. "The Fourth Ninja War proved the need for it, don't you think?"

Lee considers her, eyes wide in attention. "In some ways. In other ways, it is always good to be prepared to defend."

The kunoichi's partner winces. "Most things can be solved without a fight," he says.

"That is not true," Lee replies confidently. "For example, how will you ever get stronger if you do not struggle against an opponent? Victory comes through contest."

"If you have to fight to gain a victory, is it really a victory?" sniffs the Yugakure kunoichi. She waves at her companion. "The Hot Water daimyo sends his regards to the Rokudaime. Bye." And they flash-step away.

Lee watches them disappear and then turns to Tenten and Neji, hands on his hips. "Well, that was an enlightening conversation!"

Neji rolls his eyes. "Those philosophy books you've been reading are going to your head," he tells him.

As promised, their mission complete, Neji leads them to a nearby bathhouse, conveniently located by the road on which they will return to Konoha. Tenten is grateful for the brief respite alone, away from her teammates—it will give her time to ponder on her previous feeling of nostalgia.

Being as it's in the middle of the day and a lag for tourist season, Tenten has the bath mostly to herself. She sinks into the water and sighs, inhaling the steam. Absently she reaches up and rubs her shoulder; carrying her scroll tended to make her shoulders ache when she carried it a long time with no breaks.

It takes only a moment for her thoughts to shift to the wave of déjà vu she'd felt near the border, gazing down at the harbor. There was something so familiar about that sight, as if she'd been there before. _But I haven't_ , Tenten muses, resting her head on the edge of the bath. Her eyes stare up at the wood-slatted ceiling, thoughtful. _Have I?_

She stirs her fingers on top of the water, creating a miniscule whirlpool. She grasps for the memory—of a child holding a kunai, staring out across the ocean.

 _I didn't make it up_ , Tenten thinks with certainty. _But when was this? Before I went to live with Jiichan and Baachan?_

Her memories prior to coming to live with the elderly couple are scarce, mere flashes: of a poorly lit room, of hushed whispers and the scrape of metal across stone. Tenten stares down into the water, wondering about her parents.

She'd only been four years old when she'd gone to live with the elderly couple. She'd asked them throughout the years before they died if they knew anything of her history, of her real family, but her caretakers had always just smiled and shook their heads. Once, when she was fifteen and a newly minted chunin, Tenten had entertained the thought of asking Lady Tsunade if she knew anything about her heritage. But she'd talked herself out of it, unsure of how to approach the subject. Besides, Team Gai was enough—had always been enough. They were her family, and Tenten had always been content with that.

But this vision, wrenched up from the depths of her memory, had Tenten wondering. Her finger stills on the surface of the water, trying to remember the details of the kunai she'd held. It had been grooved along the sharp edges, an unusual feature for the basic weapon.

Tenten mentally goes through her weapon rolodex, eyes flitting around the room as she recalls each specialized item of her arsenal. But no—she carried no such weapon in her scroll. She sighs in disappointment and sinks deeper into the water. She debates for a moment, the steam filling her nose, before she ducks underneath the water.

On the men's side of the bathhouse, Neji leans back against the wall, watching as Lee practices his arm exercises—hitting imaginary enemies, he presumes. "Neji," Lee begins, spinning on his heel to land an elbow into an imaginary foe over his shoulder, "what do you think that was about earlier? With Tenten?"

Neji avoids Lee's gaze, studying the ripples his teammate makes over the water's face. He shrugs, keeping his face impassive.

"Could it be that she had been there before? As a child?" Lee muses.

"It's not impossible," Neji replies. "But Tenten doesn't remember anything of her childhood prior to coming to live in Konoha with the elderly couple."

Lee nods to himself, recalling Tenten's matter-of-fact story of her childhood years, living with two elderly civilians. They had died when she was ten, after which she'd lived on her own, supported by the couple's remaining meager savings bequeathed to her at their death. "Sometimes I wish we had been closer in our Academy days, so we could watch out for each other more," he says.

Neji drums his fingers on the edge of the bath, studying the wall. "I doubt we would have been close, Lee."

"Maybe. I guess we will never know. You cannot change the past."

"No, you can't," Neji replies softly, thinking of Tenten's expression as she'd studied the bay.

An hour later, Team Gai emerges from the bathhouse thoroughly wrinkled, their skin pink, expressions at ease. "Have a nice bath?" Tenten asks the boys, securing her scroll on her back again.

"Yes! It was invigorating. The perfect remedy to rejuvenate youth!" Lee exclaims, pumping his fist into the air.

Next to him, Neji stiffly nods. "Yours?" he asks her, pale eyes studying her.

Tenten pastes a smile onto her mouth, but says nothing, setting off down the road.

They pass their afternoon journey in companionable silence, all eager to make as much ground as possible before sundown. Neji is expected at the Hyuga compound in the morning to resume his training with Hanabi and Hiashi, and Lee had mentioned something about getting tips on a technique from Gai-sensei. Realizing this, Tenten's mood darkens somewhat, her schedule less full.

They settle in a grove not too far from where they camped the previous day, though the darkness feels thicker around them as the shadows deepen. The fire crackles merrily in the center of their camp, but the wood is damp, causing Tenten to keep up constant encouragement. After a few different tries, Neji tells her to forget it—the effort isn't worth the profuse amounts of smoke it produces.

That night, it is Tenten's turn to keep watch. Neji is awake, meditating, when Lee finally drifts off, his loud snores permeating the night air. Neji opens his eyes and without hesitation, as if he was simply picking up an earlier conversation, turns to Tenten and says, "What was that? Earlier?"

Tenten blinks and glances down at the kama she'd been fiddling with. One of the rivets had broken, making the blade too loose to handle during a fight. She'd been absently trying to fix it, but now her hands still in her lap, sifting through her thoughts. "I don't know," she says. "I felt something. Like a pull."

"To the harbor?"

Tenten nods, giving the tool an experimental swing. It wobbles in her fingers.

Neji does not reply for a moment, eyes thoughtful as he studies her. Then, he says, "What did you remember?"

Tenten exhales, leaning back against the thick oak she'd settled at. She hated trying to put her thoughts into words; it was one of the most difficult mental exercises Gai-sensei had put them through during their training. Tenten had never made great progress in the skill.

Neji waits patiently for Tenten to begin, still seated in his meditation pose. Finally, as crickets begin to chirp around them, Tenten murmurs, "I remember being on a beach. _That_ beach. I had a kunai. . ." Tenten's forehead creases, recalling the details. "I was looking out towards the waves, but I couldn't see anything. It was too bright . . . and then, nothing. All darkness."

"How old were you?" Neji asks in a soft tone.

Tenten shakes her head. "I don't know. I was . . . it was a real memory. Not a dream. I was—I was in my own head."

Neji shifts, relaxing a little into the tree at his back. He contemplates; Tenten can trace a thread of curiosity in his usually inexpressive eyes. "You must have been young then," he says carefully.

Tenten shrugs. "Who knows? You know I don't remember anything prior to living with Baachan and Jiichan."

Neji is quiet, brushing a hand along the forest floor to pluck a blade of grass. He turns it over and over in his hands. "Do you miss them?" he asks gently.

Tenten smiles. "Yes. I wish they'd been around to see me graduate."

"I'm sure they would have been proud of who you've become," Neji says, not meeting her eyes as he studies the strand of grass between his fingers.

Tenten's heart clenches in her chest, thinking of her sweet-faced caregivers. Their deaths, while not unexpected since they were older, had caught her off guard at ten years old. "Yeah," she shrugs.

Neji lifts his gaze, pausing before saying softly, "What do you think it means?"

Tenten shakes her head, giving the tool an experimental swing. The blade protests, nearly pinching her fingers. "I don't know, Neji," she sighs. She lifts an eyebrow, throwing him a questioning look. "There was a kunai I was holding, but . . . it's not one I recognize from my stores. I don't know where I got it, or what happened to it." She withdraws one of the standard kunai she keeps on her person, gesturing to the blade. "It had furrows here, on the sides. Hand-forged, if I had to guess. It wasn't a child's size, either, like some of the ones we practiced with at the Academy. It belonged to someone else."

Neji mulls this over, studying the kunai she is holding out. Finally, his eyes meet hers. "But who?"

Tenten jerks her head in answer. "Your guess is as good as mine."

With that, Neji bids her a goodnight and slips into his bedroll, his back facing her. Tenten entertains herself for a few hours by repairing several of her weapons. But as the sky shifts from black to deep indigo, Tenten's hand wanders again to a kunai. Her thumb runs along the edge, not hard enough to draw blood, but enough to feel the sharpness of the blade. She tiredly lets her head fall back against the trunk of a tree, exhaling. She lucidly recalls the memory of a girl standing on a shore, looking out at dark, tumultuous waves. Tenten clutches the kunai a little tighter.

* * *

It is early evening when Team Gai returns to Konoha. They hike up to Hokage Mountain and deliver the daimyo's scroll to the Sixth, who lazily peruses its contents while Gai's three students wait for their dismissal. Hatake Kakashi waves the message loosely in the air, his one exposed eye amused as he considers the ninja before him. "A refusal. I expected as much," he sighs. "Thank you."

Team Gai bows and exits the office. Lee trots off almost immediately to go catch up with Gai-sensei, extracting a promise from Neji and Tenten that they will all eat together soon. With their teammate gone, the two remaining members set a leisurely pace through the village.

"You have training with Hiashi-sama and Hanabi, right?" Tenten poses as they pass by a market. She makes a mental note to go grocery shopping later, thinking of the disarray in which she'd left her kitchen.

Neji nods. After a moment, he catches her eye, an eyebrow raised in question. "I can meet you in the morning to train, if you like."

Tenten scrunches up her nose, recalling Neji's new schedule. "Don't you have meditation with your cousins in the mornings?"

Something pulls at Neji's mouth, his jaw twitching. He looks forward again, eyes sweeping out to the street in front of them. "I can ask someone else to do it tomorrow."

Tenten tries to wrest the meaning from his words, but she fails, unable to comprehend what would lead Neji to exchange his clan responsibilities for a morning training session with her. "That's okay," she brushes off. "I understand how important that is to you. We'll train again when you have more time. I was going to try and work on some machinery techniques by myself anyway."

She is watching him from the corner of her eye, searching for a clue, but Neji gives nothing away. He nods once more, easily, and breaks from her side, holding up a hand in farewell as he takes the path to the Hyuga compound.

Feeling slightly off-kilter, Tenten shrugs it off and bounds up the stairs to her apartment. Once inside, she waters her plants, grabbing the jar she keeps out on the balcony to collect rainwater. Baachan had always kept flowers on the windowsills, though her green thumb was flighty. Tenten couldn't begin to count how many times she'd pass by the line of pots and see withered and parched leaves. Humming to herself, she drenches the plants, turning them to even out the sun's exposure.

This done, she takes a quick shower and makes ramen for dinner, slurping up noodles as she stands in her kitchen, staring into space, thinking. She finishes, washes her dishes, and strides to her bedroom, yawning. Tenten settles into bed and stares, heavy-lidded, up at the ceiling. The beach rushes back to the forefront of her mind, the feel of the too-big kunai an imprinted memory on her hand.

In a rush of realization, Tenten sits up and throws off her covers. She strides to a corner of her room and pushes aside a variety of scrolls, a package of unsealed explosive tags, and an amalgamation of weaponry and accessories. There, sitting on the floor, is a small wooden chest. It had belonged to Baachan and Jiichan, given to Tenten upon their deaths. She'd only opened it once before, nearly ten years prior, the day of the elderly couples' funeral. Tenten remembered little about the contents—an array of photographs, Baachan's pressed and dried wedding bouquet, a smattering of Jiichan's childhood artifacts. But there was a touch of something else grazing Tenten's conscious, nudging her to remember, remember, _remember_.

Tenten throws open the box and dumps the contents onto the edge of her mattress. Out tumbles a dried bundle of flowers, Jiichan's marbles, a few cards from well-wishers, and the photographs. A heavy metal object scrapes against the wood of the box as it lands on Tenten's bed, covering Baachan and Jiichan's smiling faces in their wedding picture.

Heart thudding in her chest, Tenten plucks the kunai up and studies it. There are the strange, almost crude, grooves along the edges of the blade—pulled straight from her memory. The handle's wrappings are threadbare and old, almost crumbling beneath Tenten's tight grip. Tenten edges a thumb along the kunai's edge and is struck by the feeling of familiarity. "Where did you come from?" she murmurs, head buzzing.

The kunai lies in her palm, gleaming with a secret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Mnemosyne is the Greek goddess of memory. It is also a river in the Greek underworld that runs parallel to the River Lethe, the river of forgetfulness.
> 
> Please be so kind to let me know what you thought!


	2. Interlude One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a reminder, even-numbered chapters will be interlude chapters mostly outside of our linear timeline.

* * *

_And the tears come streaming down your face_

_When you lose something you can't replace_

_When you love someone but it goes to waste_

_Could it be worse?_

_-[Fix You, Coldplay](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oncu0bgdcXU)_

* * *

_**\- interlude one -** _

Ten-year-old Tenten is a fearsome thing to behold. Unlike most of her fellow Academy classmates, she is focused to a fault during all manner of lessons, fiercely reprimanding anyone not taking their instructor's teachings seriously.

It is not because she grows up in a strict household—quite the opposite, really. Her civilian caretakers are elderly and doting, indulging her eccentricities and treating her obsession with projectiles and ninja weapons with amusement rather than censure.

Baachan and Jiichan have been married longer than Tenten can dream of tolerating another person. They are a wrinkled, soft-faced pair. Laughter comes easily to them, and a harsh word is always a last resort. Tenten loves them more than she's ever loved anything—perhaps even more than her beloved dream of becoming a legendary kunoichi.

She is walking home one early fall afternoon from the Academy, spinning a shuriken on her index finger, when she spots the Yamanaka's flower shop. They have a daughter—younger than Tenten—who is also at the Academy, though they have never spoken. Tenten tends to keep to herself, almost singularly fixated on achieving perfect marksmanship rather than making friends or collecting gossip.

Outside the shop sit new additions to the store—barrels and barrels of late sunflowers. Tenten walks over and considers the cheerful golden petals. Baachan is notoriously awful with plants, though it doesn't stop her from accumulating a myriad of green things to set in pots around their small apartment. Jiichan teases her endlessly for letting the plants die, but Baachan keeps buying them, delighting in the brief, bright spots of beauty.

"I like these," says a shy voice at Tenten's side.

Tenten glances over to see another young Academy student—Hyuga Hinata. She isn't in Tenten's year, though her cousin, Neji, is. She hasn't spoken to Hinata before, though she's made a couple of lingering comments on her relative's kunai throwing stance (he had adjusted and improved but had not deigned to thank her). Tenten nods to her in silent agreement.

Hinata, taking this as encouragement, shuffles a little closer to Tenten, avoiding eye contact. Her fingers tremble inches from the long, sunny petals. "Do you like flowers?" Hinata asks.

Tenten shrugs, noncommittal. "I guess. Baachan likes them a lot. She puts them all over our apartment, though she's terrible at keeping them alive."

Hinata smiles at this. "We have gardens at—where I live. But no sunflowers."

Tenten gives the shuriken on her finger another experimental swing, pondering. Mrs. Yamanaka pokes her head out of the open shop door, her eyes kind as she considers the two girls. "Would you like something, or are you just looking?" she asks them.

Tenten withdraws her wallet and says, "Two of these, please."

Mrs. Yamanaka plucks out two bold and vivid sunflowers and hands them to Tenten, who offers one to Hinata. The younger girl lets out a small gasp of surprise, her cheeks flooding with color. Tenten feels her own face reddening, from embarrassment.

"Thank you," Hinata whispers, bowing her head in gratitude.

Tenten winces from the attention and shrugs it off, taking a few steps away. "No problem," she says quickly. "See you." She walks quickly down the street, but glances back over her shoulder once she is far enough away. Hinata is clutching the sunflower tightly to her chest, a smile brightening her otherwise forlorn expression. Tenten feels a grin spread across her mouth, careful to keep Baachan's flower intact as she squeezes through an alleyway shortcut.

Their apartment is located a short walk from Konohagakure's line of eateries and sake shops. Baachan and Jiichan had lived in the condominium ever since they'd been married, though they'd passed through different apartments over the years. Their residence was on the second floor, the balcony facing out to view Hokage Rock.

As Tenten approaches the building, her forehead creases, eyes searching for Baachan and Jiichan. They always waited out on the balcony for her to return from the Academy in the afternoons, sitting on wicker chairs. But today, the balcony is mysteriously empty.

 _Maybe they're eating a snack in the kitchen_ , Tenten thinks, bounding for the building's staircase. She muses over what kind of refreshment Jiichan has assembled today. He was always creating crazy concoctions for she and Baachan to try; her favorite had recently shifted from rice cakes to celery sticks slathered in peanut butter.

Humming to herself, contented with the possibility of this treat, Tenten moves to the front door of her apartment but pauses as she stares at the ajar door. She moves to the entryway, calling out, "Baachan? Jiichan?"

Someone moves inside. Tenten inhales a sharp breath, and angles her elbow, ready to sling out her shuriken at a second's notice. The sunflower stalk is clutched tightly in her other fist; distantly, Tenten frets that she'll crush the flower before she can give it to Baachan.

There are footsteps that move from the kitchen towards the entryway. Tenten's blood pumps in her ears, her body tense with surging adrenaline. "Who's there?" she demands.

There is a pause in the footsteps, a shifting of cloth, and then a head is poking itself around the corner. Tenten takes in the intruder quickly, her adrenaline buzzing with the desire to let the shuriken fly. But it is only a medic. Behind his protective mask, his eyes are kind as he considers Tenten. "Hello," he greets, voice gentle. "Do you live here?"

Tenten stares at him for a long moment, searching for an underlying threat. When she sees none, she lowers her arm, but does not put her shuriken away. She nods.

"Ah," he says, glancing over his shoulder. Another medical ninja emerges from the kitchen, a woman with a placid expression. "What is your name?" the male ninja asks.

Tenten's lips press together. She forces out, "Tenten."

"Tenten-chan," says the ninja, as if he is trying to memorize it. "Were your granny and grandpa feeling alright this morning?"

There is a sharp tear through Tenten's chest. She nods again, not trusting herself to formulate words.

"They haven't been sick recently?"

Tenten thinks, her brain moving sludge-like as she tries to recall the last week. "Jiichan had a cough, but he said he felt fine."

"And your granny?"

Tenten frowns, remembering Baachan's complaints over the last few weeks of achy joints. She'd dismissed it at the time, thinking they were the normal pains experienced by someone of her age. But now, Tenten is unsure. She tells the medic-nin of this occurrence, watching as his mouth turns down. Tenten feels her throat tighten. "Where are Baachan and Jiichan? I want to see them."

The medical ninja looks over his shoulder again at his colleague. Tenten sees her give him an almost imperceptible nod. "You can't see them right now, unfortunately. We took them to the hospital . . . for some tests," he says, not altogether convincingly.

"Then take me to the hospital," Tenten demands imperiously, her hands clenching at her sides.

The medic smiles—a sad twitch of his lips. For a moment, Tenten senses that they will refuse. But then the woman medic moves forward, holding out her hand for Tenten to grasp. "Come with me, Tenten-chan. We will go visit your grandpa."

Tenten tentatively takes the medic's hand and lets the sunflower float to the ground. She spares a disheartened look for the flower's crushed green stem. As she is led down the steps of the building, Tenten realizes that neither medic had said anything about seeing Baachan.

* * *

She spends the next several hours in the care of one medic-nin, then another, before finally being passed off to a receptionist, who gives Tenten little paper cups of water and let her pick from a stash of cookies she hid underneath her desk.

She stops asking about what had happened to Baachan and Jiichan after her fourth rebuff, deciding to conserve her questions to instead focus on picking things up through observation. She had learned this much: Jiichan was on rocky ground and had apparently been sick for a while. Tenten thinks back to that morning, listening to her caretaker cough violently into a white handkerchief. He and Baachan had smiled as she'd run out the door, both holding up wrinkled, knobby hands in a parting wave.

Jiichan is asleep when Tenten is finally admitted to his hospital room. When she walks inside, Tenten is slightly taken aback by the amount of machinery surrounding him. Her caretaker's unruly white hair is flat and lifeless. Tenten walks over and brushes it back from his forehead. Next to his bed, a beep keeps an uneven rhythm of the older man's heart rate.

"They won't tell me what happened to Baachan," Tenten tells him in a whisper. "But they said you were sick, so. . ." She trails off, watching Jiichan's chest rise and fall in short stutters. Tenten briefly closes her eyes, giving Jiichan's hand a squeeze.

A medic pokes their head inside the room and gives her a small smile. "I'm sorry, Tenten-chan. Visiting hours are over now. I've been asked to walk you home."

"I don't need to be walked home," Tenten mutters, but obliges, leaving Jiichan's side with one last, lingering look.

* * *

Jiichan dies within the week. The entire week, once her Academy classes for the day finish, Tenten rushes to the hospital to sit at Jiichan's bedside. He never wakes from his apparent slumber—when Tenten asks why he is sleeping so much, an attending medic admits that the older man was in a medically induced coma, to see if his body would repair itself. Following Tenten's probing questions, the medic tells her that no, surgery could not fix this ailment—it was a matter of letting Jiichan's body fight off its inner assailants. She makes a mental note to research medical comas.

It only takes Tenten a handful of tries to get the truth about Baachan. Apparently, after Tenten had left for school that fateful morning, Baachan had complained to Jiichan anew of not feeling well. Around lunchtime, right after Jiichan woke from his nap on the sofa, he walked in to the kitchen to find Baachan sprawled on the floor, unconscious. He had called on a neighbor, who had summoned medics from the hospital. . .

Tenten turns away when she does not want to hear anymore, and the medics fall into silence.

But on Friday morning, her routine abruptly changes. There is a knock on her classroom door and Iruka-sensei goes to open it, admitting the visitor. Tenten glances up from her test with a sharp eye, her fingers clenching her pencil when one of the Hokage's junior assistants comes into view. Softly, Iruka-sensei calls up, "Tenten? The Sandaime has asked to see you."

Gingerly, as quietly as she can, Tenten gets to her feet, slips down the rows of the classroom, and follows the assistant out the door.

* * *

Under different circumstances, Tenten would be overjoyed to be meeting the Hokage. He is well-known throughout the village for being a fair administrator and a caring leader for Konohagakure's people. But Tenten cannot muster her usual awe. Her head feels weighed down, her chest empty and gnawing.

"Jiichan has passed on, Tenten-chan," he begins. "His body was too weak to repair the damage from the infection. I am sorry."

Tenten tucks her chin down, towards her chest. She stares at the floor, feeling numb. "Baachan and Jiichan were very sick, Tenten-chan. Did you know?" the Third says softly.

Tenten's mouth tightens at his gentle tone. It grates; she is not a child, after all. She slowly shakes her head in answer, finally pushing the words out of her mouth: "No, I didn't. I thought they were complaining like most elderly people do."

"Of course," the Hokage replies, steepling his fingers under his chin. He studies her for a long moment and Tenten cannot summon her usual resilience; her eyes bore into the floor, confused and angry and heartbroken. "It is not your fault, Tenten-chan. Baachan and Jiichan were very sick, but they didn't tell you. It isn't your fault."

Tenten nods dumbly, too upset to question him. He is the Hokage after all—wouldn't he know best? But a thread of contempt zings through her brain: _If you were stronger, like Lady Tsunade, this wouldn't have happened._

It is quiet for a while as the Sandaime gives Tenten a reprieve from answering questions, letting her process. When Tenten has sifted through some of her thoughts, she raises her head and looks at the Hokage squarely. "What now?" she asks.

"You are becoming a skilled kunoichi at the Academy, according to your teachers," the Third says, shifting paperwork on his desk to glance over a file. "You are talented at marksmanship?"

Tenten nods again. The Third gives her a wry smile. "A good skill to have—weaponry. It is not one that many utilize as an art form, as you seem to. Most only use it as a first defense, or a last resort." He slides the file away, fixing her with a kind gaze. "Baachan and Jiichan were your caretakers. Everything they possessed is now yours. You are free to continue living in their apartment. You've inherited their savings as well, which, if you are prudent, will last you until you graduate from the Academy and begin to make your own income. But—should you want a different arrangement I can look into other things."

"No. I want to stay at their house. It's . . . my home," Tenten says, her voice cracking. _**Is**_ _it still home if Baachan and Jiichan aren't there?_

The Third inclines his head easily, as if this is what he expected. He makes a note on a piece of paper and turns his attention back to Tenten. In a softer voice, he says, "I will spare you the expense of arranging a funeral. I will have them placed together in Konoha Cemetery."

"When?" Tenten asks.

"Tomorrow morning, most likely."

Tenten blinks back a few tears that threaten to spill down her cheeks. "Thank you, Hokage-sama," she whispers and bows deeply at the waist.

"You have my condolences, Tenten-chan. Let me know if I can do anything for you."

Tenten swallows past the thickness in her throat and ducks out of the Hokage's office, walking quickly down the steps. She bursts out into a crisp fall afternoon, breezy and filled with laughter and good smells from the nearby restaurants. But Tenten barely perceives any of it. She walks back to her home, eyes dry.

* * *

It is just her at the cemetery the next morning. Tenten had expected no different—while Baachan and Jiichan were friendly neighbors, they mostly kept to themselves and stayed home, sending Tenten out to do their shopping and errands.

She'd woken in the middle of the night with tear tracks on her face, her mouth already forming 'Baachan' and 'Jiichan' before she'd choked them back. "Stop it," Tenten told herself sharply in the dark. "They're gone."

And so they are. It is Tenten's first brush with death and she doesn't like it one bit. Her body aches with loss so deep she cannot name it, while her mind scolds her for being so upset. _They weren't your real parents. They took care of you for six years, that's all. You were too attached._ And though she believes these things, clings to them in desperation, it does not lessen the hurt she feels—it intensifies it.

A brisk fall morning breaks at dawn, but Tenten feels no pleasure from it, can't even fathom the warmth of the sunshine. She treks to the cemetery on Konoha's outskirts and waits.

It is well past mid-morning before the gravediggers come, four apiece, toting tools and a black shiny marker stone. Tenten watches them carry the urn containing Baachan and Jiichan to an already dug plot near a copse of trees. She edges along until she is barely an arms-length away, and the gravediggers still at her presence, wiping their foreheads free from sweat.

Tenten pays them no mind as she pushes past to kneel before the simple urn, shaded by the wax trees. She takes a shuddering breath and drops the crumpled, wilting sunflower before the vase. "Rest well," she tells them and steps away, walking slowly until she is running flat out—out of the cemetery, through the woods, back to the apartment. She does not cry the entire way home.

* * *

Tenten has always considered herself a practical girl. She has few indulgences apart from weaponry and she is pragmatic with her money. As she arrives home from the cemetery, she is already beginning to mentally catalogue which items of Baachan and Jiichan she must sort into piles of sell or keep.

With trepidation, she enters their bedroom at the end of the hall, across from her own room. She takes a breath and pushes the door open, her fingers lightly grazing the wood. The air is still, without Jiichan's teasing or Baachan's raspy laughter.

Tenten steps inside, eyes flitting to the couple's chest of drawers and Baachan's jewelry box, Jiichan's shoes sitting expectantly by the cushion at the foot of their bed. Tenten blinks, and a stray tear slips down her cheek.

Tenten presses her lips together and moves to leave, unwilling to disturb the room for now. But her eye catches on a small, wooden trunk as she turns, set on a low table by the door. She has seen it before. Baachan and Jiichan would often coo over its contents, withdrawing faded photographs and mementos, reminiscing about times long past.

Tenten had never had much interest in it before; her well of sentimentality admittedly ran rather shallow. She pauses, one foot firmly in the hallway. With a heavy sigh, Tenten sits cross-legged on the floor and unlatches the chest's clasp, peering in at the cards and loose bouquet petals, the dated pictures. She reaches in to shuffle the contents, not entirely sure what she is searching for. Her fingernail scrapes against a dull metal blade and Tenten stops, forehead creasing. She grasps the object and withdraws it, holding it up to consider with a critical eye.

It is a kunai, oddly grooved, and obviously far from brand new; Tenten notes rust spots at the hilt and in patches along the blade. She turns it over once, twice, in her hands, trying to think of why Jiichan and Baachan would have had this in their memento chest. But the answer eludes her—they were civilians, ones who had never entered the Academy, nor had ever had the desire to pursue a shinobi's path.

 _Why would they have this?_ Tenten wonders. She thinks on it for a moment before finally shaking her head, deducing Jiichan had bought it simply for defense, long ago. Perhaps it had once held some significance to them; Tenten briefly mourns the loss of yet another story she will never get to hear. She carefully places the kunai back inside the box, shuts the lid, and promptly forgets about it for nine years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Most Japanese funerals involve cremation. Tried to follow that tradition here.
> 
> \- Wax trees are native to Asia. They have really lovely colors in the fall. It is also a tree that is toxic and can cause severe allergic reactions.
> 
> Hope everyone liked this small break. We will return next Monday to see what happens next. Thanks for reading!


	3. Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you need a recap from Chapter One: Tenten finds herself discontent over missions, and frankly, her life, in this new era of peace in the ninja world. Team Gai is sent to the Land of Hot Water to retrieve a message for the Sixth Hokage. Upon arriving at the coast of the Land of Hot Water, Tenten receives a vision of a girl standing on the beach, holding a kunai. She spends the rest of the mission trying to make the connection, while Lee and Neji worry. After returning to Konoha, Tenten remembers where she'd seen the kunai before and opens a chest that once belonged to her deceased caretakers. Inside she finds the kunai from her vision.

* * *

_When does it end_

_When do the knots loosen_

_When is my mind caged inside free to go_

_I've been focused on what I could lose and I've lost touch_

_Lost sight of you and what is my own_

_-[Lifted Away, Joseph](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9IenubbzCY)_

* * *

_**\- two -** _

There is water pressing down on her shoulders, filling her ears, pushing its way into her mouth. Tenten releases a silent scream, panicked, as she sinks deeper beneath dark, dark waves. Above, there is sunlight that she can see, that her free hand grasps for, but her body feels weighed down. She feels pulled towards the bottom, shadowy figures swimming around her. She cannot make them out, if they are friend or foe. Bubbles escape her nostrils in a steady stream, her throat and chest aching from the lack of air. Tenten waves one arm uselessly, trying to push herself up into that faraway light, but her scrambling only tires her heavy muscles. Her vision grows blacker, her lungs squeezing for a whiff of air. But there is nothing. Tenten is drowning. Resignation slips into her thoughts, and though she is still tense with worry, her mind clears, her brain slowing down. Her eyesight vanishes and Tenten clutches the kunai tight to her chest as she sinks to the bottom.

Tenten wakes from the dream and bursts upright, as if she really is breaking free from the waves. Her chest rises and falls with rapid, gulping breaths, her hand clutching at her t-shirt, wide-eyed. She has sweat through her clothes and onto the mattress, her hair a hot, drenched mess. Tenten gasps with the shock of returning to herself, the dream clutching at her like the pull of an undertow. "What the fuck," she mutters, getting to her feet, her head aching with tension.

She looks forlornly down at her bed, disgusted by the sweat stains. Everything is soaked. Gritting her teeth, Tenten pulls off the sheets in one fluid motion and tosses them on the floor, falling onto the bare mattress with a deep sigh.

She stirs again when sunlight spills into her bedroom from the window. Tenten opens her eyes to stare up at the ceiling, feeling sticky from the night's perspiration. With a glance to the clock on her bedside table, Tenten gets to her feet with a groan and clambers towards the bathroom for a shower.

As the water slides down her skin, rinsing away her griminess, Tenten sighs, thinking of the dream and of the kunai. The night before, as she'd been lying in bed, the memory had slowly returned to her, like pieces snapping into place. She recalled entering Baachan and Jiichan's room and going through their things before finally grasping a strange-looking kunai. But . . . why had it been there in the first place? Tenten mulls over the possibility of her caretakers owning a ninja weapon—a modified one, no less—and quickly dismisses it. It is apparent to her that either they had been given it by someone for some unknown purpose, or it belongs to her—Tenten.

Her intuition says that the weapon is hers, though this realization only discomfits her more. Why hadn't Baachan and Jiichan told her about it, if it belonged to her? Had they not known any more about it than she did?

Tenten shuts off the water with a shake of her head, frowning. She towels off and pulls on fresh clothes, stopping to grasp the kunai from where she'd left it on top of her dresser the night before. She twirls it between her fingers, testing its weight. It seems to be in good condition, considering it's spent more than ten years in a box. The blade is more than a little dull and there are patches of rust, but nothing Tenten can't repair. She wanders into her kitchen and cooks some eggs, eyeing the kunai from where she'd set it down on the counter.

"I don't suppose you'll just tell me where you came from?" she asks the weapon around a mouthful of breakfast. The kunai lies perfectly still, looking innocent in the light of her kitchen. Tenten sighs and shakes her head, swallowing her last bite of eggs. She takes the kunai in hand and resolutely heads to the bookshelf in her living room.

Among her vast array of weaponry accumulated from over the years, Tenten also owns a small and compact library on every tool—ninja or otherwise—ever known to be created and documented.

After the ninja war, Tenten had kept up a correspondence with Darui about the Treasured Tools, learning everything she could about them. Darui had even promised her a trip to Kumogakure to train her in the Tools, once the world was on more stable ground. But through handling the Treasured Tools, it began to dawn on Tenten how much knowledge she was lacking about other kinds of ninja weapons. She had always had the standard textbooks on sealing and long-range vs. short-range weaponry, but she hungered for so much more.

In the past few months, she'd begun to tinker more with machinery and added to her growing collection. She'd started crafting on her balcony or in the middle of the floor of her living room, toying with explosive tag principles and metal. When Neji had first noted the singe marks on her clothes and fingers, he'd been doubtful, if not a little wary. In contrast, Lee and Gai had encouraged her new developments with their usual enthusiasm.

Tenten smiles to herself, rubbing her fingertips along the spines of her books, mouth quirking with doubt. In a leap of faith, she extracts a heavy text on weapons history—moderately outdated for the present times, but good enough for the weapon she holds in her hand. She settles onto the floor and peruses for a while, turning pages, reading half-sentences.

And then, finally:

_Prior to the Third Shinobi War, there was a resurgence of homemade weapons that had not been seen since over a hundred years prior. As cities became more and more populated, ninja weapons became nationalized, where one supplier or a group of suppliers manufactured most weapons for a ninja village's needs, rather than within a shinobi clan. However, the revival of homemade weapons was largely a renaissance period that occurred mostly out of artistic expression, not out of necessity from lack of ninja tools. Many of these weapons during the revival period featured modifications that most manufacturers today see as needless—cumbersome prongs added to a kunai or six-bladed shuriken. Many of these weapons passed out of vogue by the middle of the Third Shinobi War, and most are considered worthless in today's economy. . ._

Tenten taps a finger against the paragraph, thoughtful. "Is that all this is—an artistic feature?" she mumbles. The kunai lies on the floor in front of her, managing to be both taunting and unassuming. Tenten takes it up again and pockets it, her head thickening with questions.

* * *

Gai is already doing laps in the training yard when Tenten meets him, his glossy bowl-cut flowing back from his speed. "Tenten!" he calls as Tenten sets down her equipment. He zips past her a few more times before coming to a screeching stop in his wheelchair. His grin is bright, eyes crinkled with genuine pleasure.

"Sensei," Tenten begins with an exasperated sigh, "you were supposed to wait for me. I'm not warmed up yet."

"I have only done fifty laps, Tenten. You can join me for the other fifty! And then I will time you for the other fifty you missed."

Tenten curses under her breath but sinks into a crouch, stretching out her muscles. When she is limber, she nods at Gai, and they begin their laps.

It has always been an unfortunate habit of Gai's to talk while exercising. This is one thing that Tenten despises about training with Gai or Lee—too much talking, when all she's trying to do is catch her breath.

"Lee said your quick trip to the Land of Hot Water was refreshing," he begins on their fourteenth lap.

Tenten sends her sensei a quick side-eye and shakes her head; the man isn't even breaking a sweat, while she's dying underneath the summer sun. "Yeah," she gasps. "I guess."

"He mentioned you visited a hot spring."

Tenten nods, ignoring the strain in her pumping calves. "It was nice. Gave me time to think."

"Yes," Gai begins in an odd tone.

Tenten sucks in a breath and holds it for a second, then exhales as Gai continues, "He said that you had a vision, of sorts."

They are on their sixteenth lap now—so far from the golden fifty Gai had conditioned before they'd started. _Probably on purpose to trap me into this conversation_ , Tenten thinks. "It wasn't a vision," she huffs, trying to focus on keeping her pace steady. "I think I'd been there before."

"When?" Gai asks curiously, glancing at her as he races mere inches ahead, leading the track.

"When I was a child, I think." Tenten chews on her bottom lip. "Sensei—you never. . . The Third or Tsunade-sama never mentioned anything about my ancestry, right?"

Gai is silent for a moment, his young face hardening for a brief moment. "No, Tenten. They never mentioned anything about it to me."

Tenten sighs heavily. "I figured," she releases.

"What did Neji say? About this remembrance you had?" Gai prompts carefully.

Tenten shrugs one shoulder, thighs beginning to ache. "Not much. He knows as much as I do. Which is nothing."

Gai hums but doesn't reply. Tenten pauses, then mentions, "In the memory there was a kunai I was holding. I found it last night in Baachan and Jiichan's memento box."

Gai raises his thick eyebrows in interest. "Is that so?"

Tenten nods. Gai's pace slows, and he draws even with Tenten. He asks, in a curious tone, "They never mentioned it?"

Tenten shakes her head. "No. Well, at least, if they did, I don't remember it."

Gai does not reply to this, his expression shifting to one of rare contemplation.

He grants Tenten a reprieve for the rest of their laps, leaving her to huff and puff without having to talk. By the time they come to a stop, Tenten's chest is heaving with exertion, sweat beading across her skin. "It's so hot," she complains, squinting up at the sun.

"Look on the bright side, Tenten," Gai says, optimistically looking up at the swath of blue sky. "It will be hotter later in the day."

Tenten releases an obliging grumble. She stoops to reach for the zippered equipment bag she'd brought with her and digs around inside for a moment, before withdrawing a large metal ball. She hands it to Gai and waits expectantly as he studies it with a keen eye.

He lifts the ball above his head with a grunt of effort, and the metal ball comes alive, beeping with a steady rhythm. Gai catches on quickly, and Tenten watches, grinning, as he begins to do reps that match the ball's set cadence.

Once the ball emits one trill blip, Gai sets it back onto his lap, looking at his student, eyes brimming with admiration that threatens to overflow. "When you told me you were developing exercise equipment for me, somehow I thought it would be less . . . thorough than this! What a youthful creation, Tenten!"

Tenten beams with pride, picking up the ball to turn in her hands; it chirps in answer. "It's still a prototype. I haven't finished it yet."

"You've made a lot of progress!" Gai says, sweeping aside her modesty. "Be proud of yourself! This could revolutionize my workouts!" He spins the wheelchair absently, chattering on about his personal regimen. Tenten tinkers with the metal ball absently, listening with a slight smile on her face.

She and Gai had only grown closer following the war's conclusion. Perhaps it was due to Neji's elevated position within the Hyuga clan, and therefore, could spare Tenten less of his time, as well as Lee's pursuit of jonin status that had become all-consuming over the past few months. Gai himself had had to adjust his routine entirely, refitting himself to adapt to the wheelchair and the limited use of his legs. It had taken Gai only a few weeks to notice the dejection in Tenten's demeanor, and to set out to remedy it by providing adequate, if not equal, distraction.

While their traditional training partners had shifted somewhat, Tenten liked having Gai's undivided attention for once. He had always been a good teacher, an inspiring one, cheering her on from the sidelines in her proficiency. But now it was different. Now, he was more of a peer than ever before, asking her questions about machinery and weapons development, his curiosity shining through. It gave Tenten a surge of pleasure to be able to share something that was wholly hers with her sensei for once.

It is well past noon when she and Gai conclude their session. Tenten feels achy and sore from the turns they took with the metal weight equipment she'd brought, but she feels rejuvenated from the lengthy exercise. She walks slowly past the gated training grounds, simply meandering, not quite hungry yet for lunch.

Tenten passes she and Neji's usual training grounds and with a shrug decides to enter, not opposed to getting in some target practice. The grass has become a little overgrown from their infrequent use. Tenten breathes in the heady scent of the forest; she thinks she can smell the lingering scent of the explosive tags she liked setting off. A smirk graces her lips, reminiscing on simpler times.

She hears Neji before she sees him, which is why she takes the opportunity to jump to one of the tall oaks that surround their training grounds. She balances on a branch until she can see him clearly, watching as he moves through his Hyuga techniques. He's clearly in the middle of a cool-down, his dark training shirt clinging to him with sweat. His hair is limp as he turns, moving his feet and arms in the traditional movements, eyes closed in focus.

Tenten stays quiet, studying his slightly unsteady balance—a result from his injury during the war. She frowns, remembering those terrible days with despondency.

Neji completes his fourth form, his fifth, and then drops his stance, standing still in the center of the clearing. He heaves a sigh, his chest moving steadily as he breathes from the exercise. His hands come to rest on his hips, and he doesn't spare Tenten a glance as he says to her, "Are you going to sit up there all day and watch me?"

"Why not?" she calls back down, letting one leg fall from the branch to swing down casually.

There is a trace of a smirk on Neji's mouth, but he turns away from her to hide it. Tenten grins, pleased with the provoked gesture. "Come down," Neji says.

"I already trained with Gai-sensei today, thank you very much."

Neji moves again, looking up at her this time. Amusement is piqued in his perched eyebrow. He says, only slightly mocking, "Let me guess, he made you push him around the village a few times."

Tenten shakes her head. "We only did a few laps. We were weight training. With some of my prototypes." She cocks her arm and flexes, slapping a hand on her toned bicep.

Neji rolls his eyes, but his gaze is appraising. "Come down then. Let me test you."

Tenten groans but obliges, dropping down to join him. She is only half-expecting Neji to advance as fast as he does, but she shifts into a defensive stance all the same. Not a second too soon, fortunately.

He slides into close quarters easily, and Tenten shifts her weight onto her back foot, searching for a strategy. They slip comfortably into the spar, relying on years of muscle memory. Neji attacks, palms devoid of chakra, and Tenten blocks with her strong arms. They dance smoothly across the tract of land, falling into the heated rhythm of taijutsu, something familiar after all the months of transition.

"Aren't you tired?" Tenten asks conversationally as Neji attempts to back her into a corner of bushes. She glides out of his trap with fluidity, taunting him with a smile.

"I'm fine," Neji replies flatly, eyes narrowing with her implication.

"Are you sure? You had meditation today, then you probably trained with your uncle and Hanabi. . . And who knows how long you were here before I showed up?" Tenten muses.

Neji doesn't reply, succeeding in locking his grip around her forearms. He holds her securely, though Tenten wriggles a little, trying to break his grasp. Neji maneuvers his footing, clearly aiming to take her down by applying pressure to her knees. "I should be asking you the same question," he murmurs as Tenten attempts to knee him in the stomach; Neji avoids it by trapping her ankle with his foot. "Gai-sensei didn't tire you out?"

"I told you," Tenten says with a huff of frustration, searching for an opening, "we just did some laps and played with my prototype."

"Why haven't you shown it to me yet?"

Tenten shrugs, dismissing the disappointed tone in his voice. She balances her weight and throws up her free leg, slamming it into Neji's ribcage. He lets out a sharp breath and his grip loosens; he readjusts quickly. "You're busy," she offers in explanation.

Neji rolls his eyes. "Not that busy."

"Busy enough," Tenten retorts in challenge. "Busy enough to not train with me like usual."

A shade of regret passes over Neji's features; Tenten blinks and it is gone. She channels her strength and breaks loose of his grip, letting out a delighted yell before moving fast to circle behind him. Neji anticipates this, even though his Byakugan remains deactivated; he spins and catches her roundhouse kick with his palm, holding fast before she can put distance between them again. Tenten despises the close contact; she prefers long-range combat for a reason. She tests his grip for a second before she's able to free herself again by twisting her hips, jerking her leg downward so Neji has no choice but to let go. He does, and Tenten takes an experimental swipe at his head. Neji ducks, watching her carefully, as he sets his hands on his knees in an attempt to catch his breath.

Tenten flits away, wondering if Neji would call foul if she summoned her bo staff. She decides to stay weaponless for now, concerned for his stamina. As if reading her mind, Neji says darkly, "Stop holding back. I'm fine."

"Earlier your balance was off," Tenten points out, trying to sound factual.

Neji shrugs this off, straightening. "Side effect of almost dying. Or so I'm told." He releases a rare grin, pleased with his attempt at humor.

Tenten smiles back, but it is diminished, memories swimming in her thoughts. She pushes them away and rushes him head-on. Neji reads her offensive strategy quickly and adjusts his defensive stance, blunting her pointed strikes with his open palms. Tenten seizes him around the neck and tries to grapple him into position for a stranglehold, locking him into step with her as he pushes against her hold. Tenten notices her bearing is off too late. Neji notes it before she does, and taps her instep with his foot, a reminder to straighten her posture. Tenten exhales, stirring her bangs. His eyes flash with age-old smugness. "If you would do it right, I wouldn't have to correct you," he smirks.

Tenten throws up her arm; Neji blocks, a smile growing on his lips. He opens his mouth to say something else, but Tenten suddenly drops to the ground, hooking her foot behind his leg to take him to his knees. Neji resists, unsurprisingly, but her morning training with Gai has Tenten feeling optimistic and strong. Neji jerks, attempting to loosen her grip, but Tenten's muscles contract and she holds him.

He abandons his maneuver and switches tactics: he drops and seizes her around the arms. His foot shifts, connecting with the soft spot under her ribcage, and then Tenten is flying overhead. She skids along the dirt and stops in a crouch, looking at him over her shoulder. "Want to see something?" she asks as she straightens, unable to keep her excitement from him any longer. Her blood buzzes a little with nervous energy.

Neji cocks his head in interest. He nods and slowly rises from his stooped position.

Unceremoniously, Tenten withdraws the kunai from the pouch at her waist, hefting its weight for a second, before sending it across the clearing. The metal glints as it shoots through patches of sunlight, its whoosh of trajectory suddenly halting as Neji plucks it from the air, analyzing it. He is quiet for a long moment, before finally asking in a hushed tone, "Where did you get this?"

"It was in a chest that belonged to Baachan and Jiichan. It was buried near the bottom, underneath all their keepsakes."

When Neji lifts his gaze to her, his expression is tight, forehead furrowed. "What led you to look in there? Another memory?"

Tenten shakes her head and shrugs. "I—I just remembered I'd seen it before. It was a long time ago. Right after they died."

Neji considers this silently, turning the kunai over in his palm. He studies the markings on it then says, "This was handcrafted?"

"That's what I was thinking," Tenten says, closing the distance between them. "I researched it some this morning, but I don't know how I would find out who made it without doing a sample. It's pretty old." Historically, different villages utilized different metals within their borders to craft ninja tools. To Tenten, it would stand to reason that this kunai would be no different.

Neji lifts an eyebrow, working his thumb underneath the wrappings of the handle. They begin to come loose at his tugging. "You researched it?" he repeats.

"Well, I read about weapon-making trends before the Third Shinobi War. Which gives me a time period, but not much else." Tenten nibbles on the corner of her thumbnail, wondering if she could contact a weapons manufacturer to process a materials test.

Neji lets the wrappings fall to the ground and exposes the metal handle, his Byakugan activated, searching for a trace of chakra. His mouth twitches, before curtly handing Tenten back the tool. Tenten waits for him to say something. When he doesn't, she prompts, "Well? See anything?"

Neji turns away and shakes his head, walking over to the trees to drink from his water canteen. Tenten brushes off his abruptness, pocketing the kunai once more. "Do you think if I asked a manufacturer they would process the sample for me? For free?"

"Why do you want to involve a manufacturer?" Neji retorts, his back to her.

Tenten lifts her gaze at his tone, staring at him. She replies slowly, "Because this is a mystery I want to solve. And obviously if I had this as a child, then it means someone gave it to me for a reason, whatever it was."

Neji turns on his heel, facing her. His expression is closed off, almost haughty—a shadow of the twelve-year-old he'd been in their genin years. "Maybe you picked it up by the side of the road. You'll never know for sure, since you don't remember."

Tenten's eyes narrow at the apparent opposition in his voice. She sets a hand on her hip, digging in her heels a little deeper. "Thanks for the vote of confidence," she says flatly.

Something in Neji's face softens, and he amends, "I'm just being sensible. You were four years old when you came to the village. No one has ever known anything other than that; what makes you think after all these years it will change?"

She is surprisingly hurt by his analysis, though she can see his logic, accepts he is speaking reasonably. But it still stings. Her lips pursing, Tenten replies, "There's nothing wrong with me wanting to know things about my past, Neji."

Neji's eyes shift, moving to glance up, briefly. Like he's seeking the sky for some type of answer. "You've never cared before," he points out.

Tenten clenches her jaw, giving her head an imperceptible shake. "You're making an assumption."

"I'm wrong then?" Neji asks, gaze falling to meet hers.

"You don't see everything, Neji," Tenten snaps, put out by his response. What had she expected? For his help? His interest? She would have been better off not mentioning it at all.

"No," he permits with a loose shrug. "Just most things."

The twist of dissatisfaction turns harder in her gut. She taps her fingers against her hip, disliking the sudden sharp string of tension between them. Neji stares at her from across the clearing, unyielding. "Guess I'll go, then," Tenten mutters, moving towards the fence.

Neji's cheek twitches. Then he says, "I'll walk with you."

Prickly silence settles around them as they move through the grounds, navigating effortlessly over the well-trod path. Neji stays a step behind Tenten, letting her take the lead. But Tenten suspects it's only to give him a further advantage of reading her body language and the barely disguised frustration in her profile. As they reach the main path that leads into town, Neji clears his throat. Tenten stops, turning to oblige him, arms crossed.

"I'm sorry for what I said before," he says, looking at her quickly before glancing away. As if she hurts to look at. "I guess I thought . . . it didn't matter to you. Where you came from. That it was enough that you're a kunoichi from the Leaf village, or a member of Team Gai."

"It is enough," Tenten interjects, though as soon as she says it, she is no longer sure. The past year since the end of the war had upended everything she'd known since she was a child. What if things never went back to the way they were? Lee was already moving on, and so was Neji. Gai-sensei would never be quite the same, and neither would she, it seemed. They were all changed now, for better or worse. _Worse_ , Tenten cruelly thinks. And it would only be more severe as they got older, when they would finally have to choose between becoming instructors for the Academy or . . . what? Foregoing active service to enter the reserves? Training erratically until it became obsolete? Was is so wrong that she wanted more than that, that she craved it?

Neji waits patiently as Tenten parses through these thoughts, his attention focused. She absently runs a hand through her bangs, wincing at the sweat that has pooled on her forehead. She returns his gaze and attempts a carefree smile. "Don't worry about it."

"Tenten—"

She shakes her head, stepping out onto the road. "See you?"

But Neji scoffs, his earlier sharpness returning. "Don't brush me off."

Tenten presses her lips together, unsure of how to voice her train of thought. She puts it aside for the moment and gestures for Neji to follow her.

* * *

It is a short walk to the dumpling shop. When Tenten draws up to the entrance, she shoots Neji a playful grin. Sighing, Neji says, "I should have known." Nonetheless, he follows her inside and pays for them both. He doesn't quite hide his mutter about buying her food each time they have a disagreement, and Tenten's mouth twists, trying to keep her smirk to herself.

Tenten is humming over her sesame dumplings, ravenous, when Neji begins anew, "What would you want to find out? From a sample?"

Tenten feels the knot in her chest ease; he is trying, at least, to rectify their previous dispute in the forest. "If it's uniquely crafted, the manufacturer might be able to tell me who made it, but that would be a long shot. My best hope is to locate the region where it was made, and then I can look into historical records."

Neji idly moves his jiaozi dumplings around his plate with his chopsticks. "What if there aren't any? Historical records?" he poses, studying her.

Tenten snorts and feels a rise of soy sauce jolt back up her throat. She coughs, chuckling, as she pounds her chest with her fist. "Neji," she says once she's caught her breath, "ninja weapons are easily trackable. People buy from manufacturers or craftsmen, and they brag about it. Hundreds of years ago, when ninja villages were first founded, it was a source of pride—knowing where so-and-so got their weapons from. The craftsmen would even have yearly competitions, to stage their goods."

"Why did they stop?"

"Ah, well." Tenten shrugs. "The competition became a blood sport—a chance for shinobi to ambush their enemies."

"So, they withdrew to their own regions to produce weapons for their own ninja villages?" Neji deduces.

"Bingo," Tenten says, chewing thoughtfully on her last dumpling. She sets her chopsticks down and stares out the window from where they're sitting, her brow creasing.

"What is it?" Neji asks.

"I—I'm wondering how I got here. If I really was on that beach in the Land of Hot Water, who found me and brought me to the Leaf village? It's not like it's a short walk. It's a multi-day journey, especially with a child."

"Maybe one of the fishermen from that village found you. We saw their boats."

Tenten leans forward on the table, the questions bubbling to her lips. "And why did they bring me to the Leaf village? Yugakure was closer."

Neji gives a shake of his head, not offering an answer. "Neji," Tenten says, her eyes darting to find his, "last night I had a dream. I was drowning. In that ocean off the coast." Neji's expression remains unreadable. Tenten pushes further, "I think—I think I was drowning and someone rescued me."

She is still waiting for a response when Lee breaks their eye contact, strolling up to their table and letting out an ear-deafening greeting. "You two should have invited me for lunch!" he declares, looking only mildly disheartened.

"It was spontaneous," Neji answers, avoiding Tenten's beseeching gaze.

Without needing further prompting, Lee shuffles in next to Tenten, long limbs and all, as he launches into another update on his self-described, "brimmingly youthful" love life. Tenten half-listens, her thoughts lost in the waves off the coast of the Land of Hot Water. The kunai in the pouch at her waist burns all the way down to her skin.

Neji leaves them after Lee has gotten his fill of dumplings, citing he is needed back at the Hyuga compound. Tenten lets him go without protest, only a touch miffed at their unfinished conversation. Lee agrees, however, to accompany her to the grocery store, and so as they set off, Tenten recounts what she knows of the kunai from the chest.

Lee's bushy eyebrows furrow indeterminably, though Tenten cannot guess if it is from worry or curiosity or both. "A mystery indeed," Lee says as Tenten concludes her story. He glances at her sidelong. "What do you think it means?"

"I don't know," Tenten sighs, winding through the store, plucking things off shelves and throwing them in her basket. "Ever since we went on that mission, and I saw that beach it's like . . . something awakened in me. Something that's been buried a long time."

Lee hums thoughtfully, trailing at her side. "Are you going to contact a manufacturer then? For a sample?"

Tenten shrugs as they enter the noodles aisle. "That was my plan."

"What if the result is inconclusive? What will you do then?" Lee asks, looking at her.

Tenten scoffs. "You sound like Neji," she mutters.

Lee's features crumple with confusion. "What do you mean?"

Tenten shakes her head, heading towards the front of the store to pay. "Nothing," she throws away over her shoulder.

But Lee is nothing if not determined. He presses on even as they leave the store, saying, "You must have some expectation. I am sure it will be a positive result, but . . . what if it is not what you think?"

"I don't—I'm not expecting anything!" she replies, flustered. "Why are you and Neji so focused on me anyway? It's about the kunai and the beach, that's all."

Lee regards Tenten carefully. "Well, because you are at the center of all of it, are you not? Why would we not be concerned?"

"There's nothing to be concerned about," Tenten retorts shortly. "I'm not stupid, Lee. I know that—I know my parents are long gone, whoever they were."

Lee's eyes widen a fraction, and Tenten resolutely avoids glancing in his direction. Her mention of her parentage had rarely been a conversation topic, save the handful of times she'd talked with Baachan and Jiichan about it, and once when Gai had asked.

"I am sorry for prying, Tenten," Lee apologizes, his eyes beginning to swim with emotion. "I should not have assumed."

Offhandedly, Tenten mutters, "You should try teaching Neji some of your manners."

Lee smiles briefly, before deeply inhaling as an afternoon breeze sweeps by. "We are protective of you. I am sure he did not mean to hurt your feelings."

Tenten rolls her eyes and doesn't answer, her heart warming just a little at Lee's affection. Lee continues fervently, "I promise I will do everything I can to help you on your quest!"

"Lee, it's not a quest—" Tenten begins to protest, but Lee shakes his head, features set in resolve.

He sticks out his hand, flashing a grin that has come to rival Gai's, and gives her a thumbs-up. "I promise!" he declares in a loud voice.

Tenten chuckles and waves in goodbye, breaking from him to cross the street to her apartment. She hums happily the whole time she puts her groceries away.

* * *

Tenten is on her couch that evening, paging through a book on metalworking, when a knock resounds on her front door. She absently pads to the door and opens it, eyes still on her book as the door swings open to reveal Neji. Tenten is mildly surprised to see Hinata standing next to him. "What a surprise," Tenten exclaims, smiling at the younger girl. She catches Neji's gaze as it lands on her book, and Tenten closes it.

"Neji-nii-san mentioned to me he was coming to see you, and I thought I would come too since we haven't seen each other often since the war ended," Hinata says in her soft tone. "I hope it's alright. . ."

"Of course," Tenten says, stepping back from the door to let them in. "I'll brew some tea." She wanders into the kitchen and Hinata follows her, standing politely by the doorway. Tenten can't help but notice that Neji has foregone joining them. _Probably to snoop around_ , she thinks in a flash of irritation. Trying to ignore what Neji's absence foretells, Tenten asks, "How are you, Hinata? I guess you guys aren't taking on many missions either?"

Hinata shakes her head, clasping her hands in front of her. "No, only small tasks, as Hokage-sama asks. Kurenai-sensei has her hands full with Mirai-chan, so I've been spending most of my time helping her."

Tenten grins as she sets the water to boil, looking at Hinata over her shoulder. "I've heard Mirai-chan is a handful."

Hinata beams lovingly, nodding. "She is a cheerful baby," Hinata says. "She is already beginning to try and walk."

Tenten muses on this and grabs mugs from her cupboard, setting them on the counter. "She's a little early, isn't she? She hasn't turned two yet."

Hinata nods proudly. "Yes, Kurenai-sensei is very pleased."

Tenten nods as she pours out the boiling water into the cups. She is soaking teabags when Neji appears behind his cousin, expressionless. "Have fun looking around?" she asks him nonchalantly.

Neji chooses not to reply, though Tenten can detect him wearing a small, dissatisfied frown as she leads them into the living room, passing them their tea. Hinata and Neji sit next to each other on the couch, and Tenten settles comfortably on the floor, cross-legged. She sweeps a quick eye over the state of the room and grimaces, saying, "Sorry for the mess. I'm in the middle of a project."

Neji's lips tighten, but he dutifully drinks his tea. Hinata brushes off this apology, commenting on how "homey" Tenten's apartment is. Tenten flushes, feeling a mix of embarrassment and pride; she is unsure if "homey" is a compliment, though she doesn't doubt Hinata's sincerity.

"Are you teaching your little cousins along with Neji?" Tenten asks Hinata.

Hinata blushes, shooting Neji a look. "I tried, the first few times. But . . . Hanabi and Neji-nii-san are better suited for it than me."

"Hinata-sama has been teaching them other things," Neji offers, staring into his mug pensively.

Happily, Hinata smiles at Tenten. "What he means is that I've been teaching them how to cultivate the gardens. In the past, the branch members tended to it, but. . ." Hinata trails off, eyebrows knitting, clearly unsure if she's touched on a sore subject. However, Neji says nothing, calmly drinking his tea as he waits for her to continue. "Well, I think it is something all Hyuga could be responsible for," Hinata finishes, her cheeks reddening.

"That sounds nice," Tenten compliments, eager to make Hinata feel at ease. "Baachan used to keep tons of plants around our apartment. She would always kill them, but something about having them around . . . it's comforting."

Hinata nods gratefully, her eyes softening at the scattered potted ferns around Tenten's living room. "I remember you mentioning that ages ago. . . At the Yamanaka's flower shop? Do you remember, Tenten-san?"

Neji's eyes flick to Tenten, and she blushes from unease. She nods and takes a sip of her tea, though it is too hot; it scalds the tip of her tongue. Neji lifts an eyebrow and asks Hinata, "What are you referring to?"

Hinata smiles pleasantly. "Tenten-san and I were admiring the sunflowers, years ago, at the Yamanaka's shop. She was kind enough to buy one for me."

Neji looks back to Tenten, forehead creasing in slight bemusement. She can see the question written all over his face and gives a slight shrug in answer. "We were ten," she says by way of explanation. "How could I forget? That was the day Baachan died."

Both Hyuga's expressions shift—Neji's to something distant, Hinata's to sympathy. In a rush of breath, she apologizes, "I am sorry, Tenten-san. I didn't. . . I did not mean to bring up bad memories."

Tenten smiles weakly and shoves her emotions away, unwilling to dwell on them for the present moment. Hinata gently says to her cousin, "That was the day I fell in love with sunflowers. They were so bright and hopeful."

Neji is listening, but his eyes stay on Tenten, studying her openly. Hinata, perhaps sensing the change in the room, clears her throat. She gets to her feet and sets her mug on the coffee table, politely excusing herself to the bathroom.

Tenten eyes Neji with sharp focus. He raises an eyebrow in challenge, shifting in his seat. "Why didn't you ever say anything? About that day?"

Tenten rolls her eyes, sighing. "Neji, contrary to what you _think_ , you don't have to know everything about everyone. I actually like my privacy."

Neji flinches, his mouth settling into a stern frown.

"Let me guess, you brought Hinata here so we wouldn't argue again," Tenten pushes on, under her breath.

He glares pointedly and takes a sip of his tea. "She asked if she could come, and I didn't think it would be wise of me to tell her no."

"Because she would have asked why?" Neji doesn't answer, staring at her. Tenten continues, undeterred, "Why were you going to come anyway? Pick up where we left off this afternoon? I'm not dumb, you know. I know you left because you didn't want to continue our conversation."

Neji's gaze hardens. His mouth twitches in irritation. "You're so—"

"What?" Tenten demands.

"Stubborn," Neji answers, voice falling flat. He eyes her, tight-lipped. "It's annoying."

Tenten opens her mouth to deliver a barbed retort but falls silent as Hinata re-emerges from the hallway. If Hinata senses the tension in the room, she is gracious enough to not mention it. She takes up her mug and says, "Neji-nii-san mentioned you have been making prototypes. How is that going?"

Relieved, Tenten launches into the metal weights she'd been working on to keep Gai empowered. In the middle of detailing how her training session with Gai had gone that morning, she glances at Neji and sees his focus is elsewhere, gaze lingering on the grooved kunai resting atop a stack of books on her coffee table. His eyes find hers and Tenten flinches at the expression in them—concern. She blinks and looks back to Hinata, burying her confusion deep inside her chest.

The pair do not stay long. They finish their tea and decline a second cup, though Tenten is genuine in her offering, feeling slightly penitent over her previous misgivings. Hinata gives Tenten a quick hug, catching her off guard. Tenten gives Neji a bemused look over Hinata's shoulder as she pats the younger girl's shoulder. His gaze is steady as he looks back, his mind clearly busy. Tenten raises an eyebrow in question, but Neji jerks his head imperceptibly as Hinata pulls back.

Tenten ushers them to the door as Hinata thanks her for the tea and conversation, bowing her head amiably. She moves outside onto the landing to put on her shoes. Neji follows, avoiding Tenten's scrutiny. She catches his sleeve in her fingers before he can exit. "We're not done discussing this," Tenten tells him in a low voice.

Neji halts at the doorway and turns back to face her, his eyes narrowed and burning with something akin to compunction. "No, we're not."

From the bottom of the steps, Hinata calls up, "Nii-san, are you coming?"

Neji leans in, eyes not leaving Tenten's face as he says in a level whisper, "Tomorrow."

Tenten nods once, and rests her head against her doorpost, watching silently as he puts on his shoes and joins his cousin at the bottom of the stairs. He shoots her one last, regretful look, and then he is gone. Tenten half-wonders if his expression is from having to leave, or if it stems from the simple fact that he relishes fighting with her. As she walks down the hall to retire to bed, she decides it is the latter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- The metal ball that Tenten has constructed for Gai is similar to a [medicine ball](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicine_ball) or a [ kettlebell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kettlebell) -only with circuits on the inside that calculate reps, speed, etc.
> 
> \- The stranglehold that Tenten attempts on Neji is called [ mae hadaka jime](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3YfeiMOafk) —a [ shimewaza (chokehold)](https://judoinfo.com/chokes1/) technique from Judo.
> 
> \- The mention of villages using different metals to construct their weapons, and consequently, for weapons being able to be identified by the materials used for its construction is a play off of the concept of [ isotope analysis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotope_analysis).
> 
> \- [ Jiaozi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiaozi) dumplings are Chinese dumplings, commonly eaten for Chinese New Year. They usually have meat and vegetables inside.
> 
> \- The counting system I use here is somewhat dated, but in general, when Mirai is born she is considered in her first year of birth and is therefore one year old.
> 
> If you have Thoughts or guesses, please leave them below. See you next Monday for our next interlude. Thanks for reading!


	4. Interlude Two

* * *

_Sailed out on the water and I can't see the shore_

_What I see is wider than it ever was before_

_-[Cloudline, Joseph](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WA32E7ECjWw)_

* * *

_**\- interlude two -** _

Tenten has always had a complicated relationship with water.

Once, when they are still twelve-year-old genin, before anyone even breathes a word of the chunin exam, Gai-sensei marches them all out to a lake for chakra control exercises. True to her sensei's whims, Tenten has no idea that she is being led to water until she pushes through the trees to see the sunlight sparkling on the deep blue surface. She bites her lip before it can start to tremble; Gai-sensei has unknowingly led her to a watery grave.

There were times throughout her Academy training that had dealt with this sort of thing, of course. Students would hold hands and tromp through knee-high rivers, or stomp fearlessly into shallow streams. One time they had even been tasked with trying to dive for fish in a pond on the outskirts of town; fortunately, Tenten had been sick that day.

When she is eight, a mean little girl a year older than Tenten taunts her about getting in the village pool at a birthday party. Tenten adamantly refuses in her sternest eight-year-old voice and is promptly ridiculed. But Tenten hadn't minded this—she knows her fear is irrational; she only had yet to figure out a way to overcome it in a way that didn't make her want to vomit.

However, her resilience in the face of such teasing had only earned her more ill-meant attention. When Tenten is facing away from the pool, absently studying the progress of her classmates down a plastic slide, the girl unceremoniously pushes Tenten into the pool, fully clothed and mouth open in shock.

Tenten remembers how she'd shrieked, head bobbing, breathing in and choking on the rush of water that flowed into her lungs. She'd flailed for a long moment before her desperation kicked in, her strong arms finding the side of the pool and hauling herself out and onto the warm concrete. She could still hear her own rattling gasps in her ears sometimes.

But now, it seems, her fear has caught up with her. Gai-sensei walks out onto the water like it is made of glass, his feet making small ripples where he treads. He considers his students on the bank with a broad grin and gives them a thumbs-up. "Alright, you three have mastered the Tree Climbing Technique, so now we will move onto something more difficult! Now we will learn how to stay atop a water's surface."

Next to Tenten, Neji scoffs, clearly thinking this exercise is beneath him. Lee, on her other side, sucks in an eager breath. For Tenten's part, she is trying to control the urge to shake violently.

Gai-sensei goes on, "This technique is more challenging, but I believe you three will be up to it! All together, now, step out on the water, pushing chakra to your feet."

Neji and Lee move at the same time, though Tenten cannot tell if they are having a silent competition or not. She watches as Neji strides out onto the water purposefully, like he's done it thousands of times before (he probably has). His feet do not go under, nor does it even seem to be a strain for him. He crosses his arms and regards their sensei impassively.

Lee, however, charges forth with something to prove (he does), and falls, quite spectacularly, face-first into the water. He resurfaces with thrashing limbs, then swims back to the bank to enthusiastically try again.

Tenten regards the water lapping the bank with suspicion, biting the inside of her cheek. She can feel Neji's eyes on her, drawn away from Lee's antics. Gai-sensei is hyper-focused on his protégé, shouting encouragements from the middle of the lake. _You have to move_ , Tenten tells herself.

Clenching her fists, Tenten sucks in a breath and holds it, terrified at the prospect of going under. It is Neji's unwavering stare that pushes her out, unable to find a reason to stall any longer. She funnels her chakra down to her feet, feeling her pulse thrum with the effort. Her first few steps are alright—she stays atop the water. But as she moves further out onto the lake, her balance becomes unsteady; a breeze had picked up and made the lake's swells undulate with erratic frequency.

She lifts a foot to take another step and wobbles, her arms wheeling as her control vanishes and she drops beneath the water. Panic immediately besets her. Tenten's eyes are wide as she twists in the lake's depths, trying to think rationally through her emotions. She is underwater for a handful of seconds, no longer than a minute, before a hand reaches down and grabs her wrist.

Tenten sputters as she breaks the surface, waving her arms desperately to gain some type of purchase. Neji is kneeling next to her, his eyebrows drawn in mild confusion. He grasps her hands and pulls her to her feet, telling her, "You have to modify your chakra emission to suit the waves. Try again."

He lets go before Tenten can spout a protest, and she begins to flail again. Neji watches her in deepening bewilderment. She holds out her hand to him in a silent plea for help; she is both embarrassed and relieved when he takes it. "Help me back to the shore? Please?" she whispers, face flushed crimson.

Neji has the good grace not to ask what the problem is; he escorts her back to the lake while Tenten tries to hold her chakra at a steady enough current so as not to leave Neji dragging her dead weight.

He releases her when the water is at Tenten's knees and she can safely stand by herself. He eyes her speculatively, and Tenten looks away, upset. Neji says nothing for a long moment, then lifts his foot, exposing one sole for Tenten's instruction. "You'll have to account for the waves. Mold your chakra around your feet, then move it as you cross the surface to keep your balance."

Tenten chances a glance up at him; Neji regards her calmly, waiting. "Okay," Tenten says, flushing anew under his scrutiny. She sucks in another breath, a surge of terror coursing through her body. She attempts to push it aside, drags one leg up from the solid ground to rest on the water's surface. She directs her chakra to rush to one foot, then the other, until she is standing, only inches from the lake's sandy bottom. She darts a quick look to Neji, swallowing tightly in concentration.

His head is tilted in consideration, his forehead furrowed again with an unasked question. He shrugs and turns to walk back across the waves towards Gai-sensei. "Don't forget to breathe," he calls over his shoulder, a small hint of amusement in his tone.

Thoroughly abashed, Tenten draws in a shaky breath, glaring daggers between Neji's shoulder blades as he retreats.

* * *

She is thirteen before she summons enough courage to conquer her fear. She is on the cusp of (hopefully) becoming a chunin, in the confusing throes of early womanhood, and Tenten still doesn't know how to swim.

She considers the murky pond water at her feet, pensive. She'd quickly dismissed the idea of conquering this demon at the village's pool—more out of embarrassment than fear of being laughed at. Experimentally, Tenten dips one foot in the water and a chill races down her spine, though it is a warm, late spring morning.

She had opted to keep her shoes on for now, though she'd been wise enough to discard her training clothes for a pair of swimming shorts and a sleeveless shirt. With a shred of foreboding, Tenten settles herself at the edge of the pond and slowly rests her legs in the shallow water.

The pond, also, had been a well-researched choice. It had no waves that would pull her under, no added complication of moving chakra should she need to perform the Water Surface Walking technique, though she'd mastered it months ago. _The less obstacles the better_ , Tenten had recited in her planning.

But now, she is at a loss for how to start. Should she walk out to the deepest section and let go of her chakra, dropping beneath the surface in an attempt to get this hare-brained idea done with sooner? Or would a slower approach be more beneficial—inching out to the middle? Tenten, consumed with anxiety as she is, chooses the latter option.

She slides forward through the shallow water, disconcerted by the opaque depths. The mechanics of swimming she'd studied extensively in preparation for this moment. She'd perused articles of proper stroke techniques and had even observed a small class of schoolchildren playing at the village pool, analyzing their short-limbed movements through the bright, clean water. But the actual doing of it is quite different, Tenten is realizing.

She gazes down at her reflection in the still water and wonders, not for the first time, how this fear had grown up within her, like a weed she couldn't uproot. She had never mentioned it to Baachan or Jiichan, though Tenten is sure they would have done their best to encourage her. And besides Neji's sharp-eyed gaze and Gai-sensei's lingering one, her teammates had never brought it up, for which Tenten was grateful. She hated attention being drawn to her weaknesses, sinking into the background when critiques inevitably came.

She had never been a crier, like some of the other girls at the Academy. Truthfully, Tenten somewhat envied them—the freedom they felt to unleash their emotions carried a lot of strength that Tenten herself couldn't seem to summon. She dealt with her feelings in private, away from probing gazes. Which is why, upon her determination to confront her fear of water, of drowning, she had decided to forego telling anyone. _It was probably foolish, to do this alone_ , Tenten thinks as her legs begin to float upon the pond's surface. _I really could drown._

But her fingers are gripped tight in the pond's silty bottom; Tenten can feel her fingernails filling with sludge as she creeps along. Her uneasiness increases as her arms extend behind her as she floats further out, clinging to the earth. "You can do this," Tenten says under her breath. "Just . . . let go."

This command makes her muscles clench with tension, her heart hammering in revolt. She sucks in a few breaths, attempting an optimistic attitude, and withdraws her hands from the soil. She is immediately assaulted by distress, and Tenten grits her teeth as she lies back to float.

 _Look up at the trees_ , Tenten commands. _Think of anything else. Something calming._

Her thoughts push past the inner alarms ringing in her head and latch onto the looming chunin exams. She imagines herself knocking out a faceless opponent with an array of weapons and grinning, standing amongst her teammates at the chunin presentation ceremony. Her thoughts wind back to her practice with medical jutsu and she winces, displeased with her progress. She thinks over her latest practice with wire strings, the movements straining and scarring her fingers.

Her heart rate steadies and Tenten releases a slow, low breath. Her brown eyes find the vivid blue sky and she inhales deeply, feeling calmer by the second. She lets herself drift across the surface, and even attempts a backstroke, which she executes successfully and gives her a surge of confidence.

But Tenten knows she cannot just float here all day. Her anxiety resurfaces as she turns her thoughts to dipping beneath the surface, her chest tight. _Ducks do it_ , she reminds herself. _Children can do it. You're not so different, you're even stronger, in some ways._

Tenten refocuses once more on the sky, reminding herself of all the things she'd overcome so far in her life—obtaining perfect marksmanship, Baachan and Jiichan's deaths, her Academy graduation exam, enduring Neji's fierce Gentle Fist and Lee's hard-hitting taijutsu. This is only another thing to add to the growing list, just another small tally to mark in her quest to be a skilled and legendary kunoichi.

With this comforting thought, Tenten holds her breath and ducks under.

* * *

But this doesn't mean she likes water. Far from it, really.

Hoshigaki Kisame's water prison Tenten finds unforgivable. Conquering her fear of drowning had not quite dispelled her trauma; Tenten had simply become expert at working through it.

Trapped within the globe of water, Tenten feels her knees grow weak as she struggles to stay upright and focused, watching as Gai-sensei battles the shark-like Akatsuki member.

Her thoughts run wild, running worst-case-scenarios as she realizes her air supply is diminishing. Her eyes widen, glancing to her teammates, unsure of how evident it is that she's afraid. As the water whirls around her, Tenten's panic deepens. She watches, stricken, as Gai-sensei opens the Keimon Gate and sends Kisame flying through the air. Her lungs contract, searching for a semblance of oxygen, her head fuzzy.

She is vaguely aware when the water falls in cascades around her, head dizzy as she gasps for fresh air. Tenten feels a hand supporting her back, another grasping her elbow. Neji's familiar chakra signature exudes warmth next to her. In a breath of relief, she says, "Thanks, Neji."

He ensures she is able to stand before letting go, turning his gaze to the crumpled body of the Akatsuki member. Gai-sensei's brow is furrowed in thought, glancing up at his students when they draw near. He looks over them speedily, gaze lingering on Tenten's harrowed features before permitting them a five minute rest until they continue on to their rendezvous point.

Tenten swallows past the ache in her throat and chest and half-stumbles to a rocky outcrop, still wet from Kisame's wave jutsu. She absently clutches at her chest, blinking quickly to move past her shock. Nearby, Lee and Gai-sensei are discussing the mission, but Neji is looking at her.

After a moment, he is successful in catching her gaze, eyes alert. "What is it?" he asks.

Tenten shakes her head, inhaling a few deep breaths through her nose. _You're okay. You're okay._

"Tenten?" Neji prompts, an underlying note of concern in his voice.

"Fine," she assures, turning away. Her hands tremble; she clenches them tightly to stop shaking. "I'm fine."

She can feel Neji's confusion at her back, probing with his eyes, searching her for some hint or clue. Plucking up her nerve, she sniffs and re-adjusts her scroll before strolling up to Lee and Gai-sensei, saying, "Shall we go?"

* * *

The afternoon is wearisome, to say the least. By the time the doppelgangers are defeated and the Akatsuki members gone or dead, Tenten can tangibly feel the fight to keep her energy up. They trek back to Sunagakure and eat a quiet meal with Team Kakashi and an array of Sand shinobi, Temari and the recovering Kazekage among them. Tenten chats with her old rival, though it is half-hearted, her exhaustion making her taciturn and listless.

Neji watches her the entire evening—through dinner, through Gai-sensei and Lee's impassioned retelling of their battle from that day, all the way until dinner is cleared and everyone departs for bed. They walk down the hall to their quarters, and Gai-sensei and Lee utter quick goodnight wishes, ducking into the boys' room to retire. Neji grasps Tenten by the elbow before she can disappear into the room she is sharing with Sakura. "What happened earlier?" he pounces, raising an eyebrow.

Tenten sighs, rubbing her eyes. "Neji, do we have to do this now? I'm so tired—"

"You were . . . shaking," Neji says, eyes narrowing. "What were you worried about?"

Tenten is not in the mood for this discussion, but Neji stands firm, his fingers still wrapped around her arm. She considers him waspishly. "None of your business," she says.

His mouth tightens, obstinate. Tenten tugs out of his grip and takes a step back, away from him, a challenge in her gaze. Neji makes no move to close the distance, saying cautiously, "I wouldn't have let you drown, you know."

Tenten stares at him for a moment before giving a jerky nod, shutting the door as she enters the shared bedroom. Tenten is practically asleep before her head hits the pillow, her thoughts swimming with the imprint of Neji's familiar, sure grip on her arm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- I thought Tenten's relationship with water would be an interesting thing to toy with, since her zodiac sign has a water element.
> 
> I really enjoyed writing this interlude. Hope you're all doing well-staying safe and healthy. Thanks for reading, see you next Monday!


	5. Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A recap from our previous linear chapter: Tenten begins her research on the mysterious kunai she found with her caretakers' mementos. She reveals her metal weight equipment to Gai and they discuss her resurfaced memory in the Land of Hot Water. While walking past the training grounds, Tenten hears Neji and stops by. They have a friendly spar, resulting in Tenten revealing the found kunai. Tenten puts forth the idea to ask for a materials test from a weapons manufacturer, and Neji does not react positively. Disgruntled, the pair go to lunch and tentatively continue their discussion before being interrupted by Lee. Neji leaves abruptly, and Tenten complains to Lee of Neji's reaction. Later that evening, Hinata and Neji pay Tenten a visit. Tenten and Neji resume their conversation from earlier, but do not resolve anything, pledging to speak to one another the next day.

* * *

_I just got lost_

_Every river that I tried to cross_

_Every door I ever tried was locked_

_Oh and I'm just waiting 'til the shine wears off_

_-[Lost!, Coldplay](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5KjwuD3hEg)_

* * *

_**\- three -** _

"Tomorrow" comes with monsoon-levels of rain, and so it is late in the afternoon before Tenten learns Neji has been sent away by the Sixth to Sunagakure with Nara Shikamaru for another diplomacy errand. Irritation sears across her mind when she hears it, but disappointment soon follows, leaving her in a funk the rest of the evening. She tinkers with her metal weight equipment before shirking it aside, absently reaching for the grooved kunai.

It has quickly become a totem; she finds herself playing with it throughout the course of her day, keeping it within her grasp at all times. It beckons to her, just like the ocean did in the Land of Hot Water, and Tenten knows intuitively they are connected. Seeing no other option to alleviate her curiosity, she moves forward with her plan to gain a materials sample from a weapons manufacturer in Konoha. She scrapes off a bit of the metal, deeming the weapon too precious to provide the entire tool, and delivers it to the factory the very next morning.

"It will take a couple of days," the fabricator says, giving Tenten a sympathetic smile at her crestfallen expression. "But I will send for you when we've studied it."

For the first few days, as Tenten waits for her results, she continues to soak up as much knowledge as she can about handcrafted weapons during the shinobi wars, though there isn't much to glean except from footnotes and bygone references.

Aching for distraction from the looming mystery in her mind, Tenten fills her time by watching Lee train for the jonin exam, half-listening to his chatter about Mai, the civilian who had caught his eye, and how she is the "most beautiful flower" he's ever had the privilege to meet. She works on Gai's equipment and brings it by his house, making mental note of the ball's shortcomings and Gai's preferences.

"Still no word yet?" Gai asks one balmy evening about a week since Neji's departure.

They are sitting outside in a park near Gai's home. Tenten shakes her head, wrapping her arms around her legs. "I'm sure he will be back soon," Gai says lightly, tossing the ball up to rotate it on his index finger.

Tenten makes a face. "Who, Neji?" She scoffs. "I thought you were talking about my kunai results."

There is a trace of a smile on Gai's face, but Tenten chooses to ignore it, playing with a frazzled wire she'd extracted from the ball's inner hardware. Gai goes on, after a moment, "Lee happened to mention that you two were arguing the other day. Before he left."

Tenten rolls her eyes, sighing at the lack of privacy that had always come with being a member of Team Gai. "Just a disagreement," she replies. "He thinks I'm being a little . . . overzealous. That I'm chasing after ghosts."

Gai hums at this, switching the ball to spin on each of his fingers, watching its smooth progress with keen eyes. "Are you?" he asks.

Tenten sighs again, heavily. She ponders aloud, lying back in the grass, "Does it matter if I am? It's none of his business at the end of the day."

Gai says nothing, settling the metal ball in his lap. Tenten can sense a lecture forming, so she jumps to her feet, quickly reaching for the tool. "Want to see a new feature I added? It'll calculate heart rate now, through sensors. . ." She goes on to explain the technology without waiting for an answer, avoiding Gai's gaze until she finishes, looking up expectantly.

He regards her with a small, if sad, smile. Tenten can see his desire to further their conversation, but for once, Gai lets her be. He glances at the ball in her hands and tells her she's a genius.

* * *

The kunai results are ready the next day by midmorning. Tenten drops by the manufacturing building, and they hand her the printouts from the sample. Tenten frowns at the bold ' **INCONCLUSIVE** ' printed by weapon origin.

"You didn't get anything?" she asks the sampler, not trying to hide her disappointment.

"No, Tenten-san. I'm sorry," says the manufacturer, looking dejected as well. "It is an older weapon and seems to be handcrafted. We couldn't find anything that matched in a high enough percentage to conclude where it came from or who might have made it. Do you have something else we could try?"

Sighing, Tenten shakes her head. She folds the test results up and puts them in her pocket. "Thanks anyway."

Her dissatisfaction follows her all the way home. She mulls over her next move all night, lounging on her sofa, swinging the kunai distractedly on her finger. Stumped, Tenten glances at her small selection of books, tossed out of her bookcases onto the floor, all open to varying passages of interest. Tenten spins the kunai off her finger to catch it by the handle. She eyes it beadily. "I'm going to figure you out if it kills me," she mutters.

The following afternoon, Tenten goes to the archive library, but her findings are nowhere near fruitful. She is thumbing through a text on shinobi markings, deep in the stacks, when someone passes by and spots her.

"Tenten!" Naruto calls out, waving jovially.

Tenten smiles and waves, tucking the book under her arm as Naruto approaches. "Funny seeing you here," she comments with a glance around at the books.

Naruto raises his eyebrows and follows her gaze before chuckling, ruffling his hair in chagrin. "Oh, no, I was just passing through. Had to pay a visit to Kakashi-sensei."

"Everything okay?" Tenten asks. Naruto had been in and out of Konoha frequently, running important missions for the Hokage.

Naruto laughs again, waving his hand casually. "Oh yeah. You know, just the usual—rounding up bad guys, making nice with the other villages. What are you doing in here?"

Tenten gestures to her book. Naruto eyes it with curiosity. "I found a kunai with some strange markings," Tenten explains. She extends the kunai for Naruto to look at. "I've been trying to crack its secrets."

Naruto pinches the tool between two fingers and angles it up to the dim light of the library, eyebrows furrowed. "Seems kinda old," he mutters.

Tenten nods, staring up at it. "I think it was made around the Third Shinobi War."

Naruto's face rearranges into a thoughtful expression. "Maybe you could try looking at where it came from," he says, handing it back to Tenten.

She is about to tell him that that is her dilemma when a thought occurs to her. She beams at Naruto and thanks him, before rushing off. She hears him release a bemused laugh behind her before she slips out of the library and into the blazing summer sunshine.

* * *

" _Well, you are at the center of this mystery, are you not?"_ Lee had said. _Yes_ , Tenten thinks, smiling. _Yes, I am._

She starts by pulling every book available at the public library on the Hot Water region, relying on her memory to tie her to something substantial. Tenten spends hours soaking up information on Yugakure, its peaceful aspirations following years and years of war, and the succession of daimyos that led the nation. She ruminates, briefly, on the process of operating bathhouses and the demands of a tourist economy, before moving onto history—the details of which lead her to Hot Water's northwest corner: to the Valley of Hell and the Chinoike clan.

The region piques an interest with her, but Tenten cannot relate it to the kunai, nor find anything sufficient in her study to ease her questions. While her knowledge is sated, her research does not lead her closer to anything else that illuminates the mystery of the kunai. By the middle of the following week, Tenten's head is filled with steam, so-to-speak, and longing for the bathhouse Team Gai had visited in the Hot Water country, wishing she could take a good soak to clear her mind.

Instead, following the rains that leave Konoha soggy and humid, Gai and Lee pull her out of the apartment to sodden training grounds. Their sensei is still adjusting to using his wheelchair. It is still strange for Tenten to see her larger-than-life sensei confined, even though Gai himself is the farthest thing from containable. He spins in his chair as Lee and Tenten spar, circling them, calling out praise and advice.

Tenten is pouring sweat by the time they finish that afternoon, and she collapses onto her back, breathing heavily. Lee is also worn out, sitting down on the grass near Tenten, chest heaving. Gai considers them affectionately, moving his wheels lightly back-and-forth. "Well done, my youthful students. All we are missing is Neji," he says wistfully.

Tenten snorts. "Even if he were here, he'd never join us, Gai-sensei."

Gai lets out an unintelligible protest. "Tenten, Neji is never one to forego team exercises."

Tenten rolls her eyes up at the forest canopy, too tired to inform him of all the times they'd been united in skipping practices with the green duo in favor of their usual paired training. "Whatever you say," she mutters.

Lee sighs, setting down his water canteen. "Tenten, Gai-sensei, I think now is the time to tell you that I have made my next youthful advance in asking Mai on a date."

Gai whoops loudly, his voice echoing through the trees. "Lee, that is wonderful news!"

Tenten rolls her head to the side to consider her teammate's profile, a lump in her throat. "Where are you taking her?" she asks, slowly sitting up to clasp her arms around her knees.

"Somewhere romantic, right, Lee?" Gai poses, wiggling his eyebrows.

Lee smiles, pleased with himself. "Yes, I hope it will be. I think first we will eat dinner together, and then end the evening with a brisk walk up Hokage Rock to watch the sunset."

"'A brisk walk'?" Tenten prompts, gaping at him. "You're going to make the poor girl hike on her first date with you?"

Lee sends Tenten a puzzled look. "It would not be that strenuous, Tenten. I can even do it backwards, walking on my hands."

Tenten snickers behind her hand. "Of course, you can," she mutters, wishing Neji were here to enjoy this with her. A pang resounds in her chest like a gong, and Tenten pushes herself to her feet. "Come on," she tells Lee, holding up her arms in defense. "One more round."

"That's the spirit, Tenten!" Gai exclaims, punching a fist into the air.

With a grin as light as the noonday sun, Lee jumps to his feet and they begin again.

* * *

Tenten begs off from doing sprints around the village as a cool-down, saying she has some errands to run. But as she watches her sensei and Lee dart off at their usual high-speed velocity, Tenten gathers her things and turns aside to head deeper into the forest of training grounds. The trees chirp with bird conversation, and Tenten sighs, contented, as she passes the gate into she and Neji's training spot.

She sits down underneath a shaded area and spills out her tools, hands finding relief in the feel of metal. Her automated weight equipment she has put aside for now, opting instead to toy with timed metal explosives—similar to explosive tags, but with capacity for more damage.

She had learned her lesson long ago to tinker out in the open, rather than in her apartment. Smiling, Tenten vaguely recalls a year or two ago, when she'd almost set her living room couch on fire by tossing aside a scorched wire. Gai and Lee had always encouraged her creations with effusiveness, but Neji largely regarded them with his natural reserve, at least at first. _Not that it stops him from wanting to try them out_ , Tenten thinks, gratified. The twist in her chest turns again, and she winces, letting out a long sigh.

Her surroundings quickly fade to the back of her mind as Tenten becomes more absorbed with her work, fingers twitching over wiring and activation seals. The day slips by into an oppressively muggy late afternoon. She jumps a little at the sound of a throat clearing and blearily looks up, surprised at the position of the sun in the sky. Neji smirks at her from his position against a tree a yard away, arms crossed. "You're back," Tenten says.

"I am," Neji nods.

She shoots him a tentative smile and groans, stretching. "I'm surprised. I would have thought Shikamaru would have convinced you to stay longer. You know he and Temari are. . ." She makes a gesture between them, clearly signifying the rumors of the Sand kunoichi and the shadow user's relationship.

Neji huffs, amused, shaking his head. "I told him I had to get back."

"Of course you did," she teases mildly, reaching out to retrieve a wayward metal piece. "Well? How was it? We had tons of rain while you were gone."

"So I heard." Tenten shoots him an inquiring look. Neji explains, "I ran into Lee and Gai-sensei on the way here."

A grin splits Tenten's mouth wide and she gets to her feet. "Did he tell you his big news?"

Neji's smirk deepens. "It was the first thing he said. How much did you laugh?" he asks. "When he said he was going to make her walk up Hokage Rock?"

Tenten chuckles, stowing away her tools. "I tried not to make it too obvious when he mentioned it." She meets Neji's eyes and finds them upturned in amusement. She pauses thoughtfully. "Maybe she'll like it though. If she likes him enough, maybe she won't care about the hike."

"Perhaps," Neji agrees. He hesitates a moment before going on, "I can tell he's happy. Happier than he's been since after the war. Since mine and Gai-sensei's injuries."

Tenten mulls on this, rolling up her scroll pensively. "Well, things are different now," she mutters.

Neji says nothing for a moment as Tenten secures the clasps on her scroll. "Yes, they are," he agrees aloud.

Tenten sends him a tight grin. "So, how was Suna? Hot?"

"As hell."

Tenten's face relaxes into a genuine smirk. Neji continues, redirecting the conversation back to where they were a moment before, "Gai-sensei seems to be having an easier time with the wheelchair. . . I caught him trying to do a handstand when I saw them earlier. Lee was encouraging it, naturally."

Tenten scoffs, though it is out of affection rather than annoyance. "Nothing can keep him down, huh?"

"So it would seem." Neji pauses again, eyeing her. "I think that we would have all changed, even without injuries," he says. "It's . . . unfortunate, in some ways."

Tenten's jaw tightens, remembering that terrible night, that ugly moon staring down at them. "Do you think you'll ever feel like how you did before the war?" Tenten asks, strangely breathless.

Neji's mouth pulls to the side, strained. Tenten watches as his eyes lift to consult the sky, searching for guidance from the heavens. It's a habit she's always noticed—his almost subconscious plea to the sky; it's only gotten worse as they've grown older. He says in a distant tone, "Maybe in different ways, but never exactly the same. Too much has changed."

"Because of your injury?" Tenten offers, placing her scroll onto her shoulder.

Neji nods once. Tenten watches him swallow and glance briefly down at the forest floor. He continues, "My uncle asked me, in the days following our return from the war, what future I now envisioned for myself, since my body is . . . less efficient than before." Neji's lips purse, his expression inscrutable as he recalled the memory.

"What did you say?" Tenten prompts when Neji does not continue.

His eyes flick to hers, piercing. His chest rises and falls steadily, and Tenten absently thinks of when she'd watched him be carried off into emergency surgery, wondering if she would ever see him breathe again; her eyes prick with long-dormant emotion. "I told him that I would always be useful in Team Gai, if not with the Hyuga clan."

Tenten's lips twitch in anger. "Was he really saying for you to—"

Neji shakes his head. "No, he wasn't. But for weeks I felt . . . lost because I knew I could never be the head of the clan."

Tenten raises her eyebrows in surprise. Softly, she accuses, "You never told me you wanted that."

"I didn't tell anyone, least of all my uncle." Neji shrugs. "It's not like it matters now."

Tenten clenches her fists. "So, you're disqualified, then? Why? Only because of your injury, or—?" She refuses to say it.

Neji flashes her a wry smile. "The Hyuga are very proud, with many traditions. The head of the clan could never be someone as weak as I've become." He inhales deeply, lips twisted into something bittersweet. "Hanabi-sama will be the clan leader, once she is old enough and proves herself to the elders."

Tenten frowns. "That's not fair, Neji."

"Don't you know what would have to happen, for me to assume leadership?" he asks pointedly. He takes Tenten's silence as admission she does not. "I would have to defeat Hanabi-sama in battle."

"Neji, you could do that easily."

"Not anymore," he tells her simply, jaw tightening as he stares. He sighs. "Besides, it would be considered an act of treason. Especially in the purview of the elders."

Tenten grits her teeth, saying heatedly, "Your family is ridiculous. Why haven't you pushed them to release you and the other branch members?"

Neji tilts his head, considering Tenten with the barest of smiles on his mouth. She can tell it is layered with wistfulness. "These things take time, Tenten," he answers quietly. "Hundreds of years of tradition are not undone so easily."

Tenten angrily crosses her arms. "Well, it should be."

A twitch in his jaw clues Tenten into Neji's annoyance. "Things aren't done that way," he murmurs defensively.

Tenten presses her lips together, furious on his behalf. "You just said that nothing is the same anymore. Why should you still have to be cursed?"

Neji suddenly demands, in a forced tone, "Don't you think I've asked already?" Tenten stares at him. He looks away from her, brow creasing. "If they try to remove the seal, it will kill me."

Tenten stands limply, scroll heavy on her shoulder. Neji continues, his voice quickly regaining its usual, measured control, "The ways of the Hyuga are changing. It's taken so many years, so much longer than it should have, but . . ." He eyes her like he's seeking approval. "My uncle trusts me. The elders have given me the privilege to teach my cousins, branch and main house members alike. Hanabi-sama respects me and trusts my judgment. No other branch members have achieved what I have."

"Is that all that matters to you?" Tenten probes. "Your family's respect?"

"What else should I want?"

Tenten can feel herself pushing too far, but she says the words anyway: "It's not enough. You should be equal to them. The branch members are shuttled around by the main family's whims. You should get to choose where you go."

Neji shakes his head, his frustration fading into resignation. He attempts another small smile. "You don't understand," he says. "As complicated as it is, I am honored to help my family. And you know I chose my own path long ago."

Tenten does not answer, unwilling to spark a renewed argument so soon after his return. The tension ebbs from Neji's shoulders. He looks at her again, a teasing glint in his expression. Neji's smile is genuine now, features softening. "Your question," he recalls. "About if you think you'll ever feel the way you did before the war. Do you?"

"No." Her answer is instant. Neji studies her for a moment, and Tenten stares back, unbending.

"Why not?" he asks.

Tenten fidgets, reaching for the grooved kunai, before she remembers she'd left it at home. She sighs, brushing back her bangs. "Too much has happened. Nothing will ever feel the same," she murmurs. She smiles sadly. "I wish it could be."

Neji takes a step closer to her, as if drawn forward by her expression, her tone of voice. "What would you want back the most?"

Tenten threads her fingers through her bangs, sighing as an embarrassed blush creeps up her neck. "I guess . . . the action of it all. Aren't you bored? Well—I guess you aren't. But what do I have? Just projects, developing new weapons that I won't get to use. It's like I told you that night on our mission—what good is a weapons mistress in a time of peace?"

He looks at her for another long, long moment then backs away. He sends her a loose smirk, like tacking it on at the end of a half-finished sentence. "Hungry?"

She is ravenous, actually; she'd scarfed down only a small bowl of sticky rice that morning before heading out to the grounds. "Now that you mention it," she says, grinning.

Neji gestures towards the gate with his head and starts towards it. Tenten follows, saying just loud enough for him to catch, "Thanks, Neji."

* * *

They end up at a yakitori stall. They watch the meat sizzle on the grill in front of them, manned by a boy a handful of years younger than they are, his first mustache growing in. When they are both properly outfitted with skewers and Neji pays, the pair walk slowly up the street, in no hurry. "No meeting with Hiashi-sama today?" Tenten asks, nibbling on a chunk of chicken.

Neji shakes his head. "I met with him after Shikamaru and I briefed the Hokage."

"About what?" Tenten says, glancing at him in her periphery.

Neji shrugs, noncommittal. "The usual things. How the mission went, how was the Kazekage. Clan business that occurred while I was gone. Things like that."

"How did the mission go? You never told me."

"It went well," Neji answers. He points out a vacant bench at the entrance of a nearby park, and he and Tenten wordlessly move towards it. "I was only there to act as Shikamaru's counsel. The main tasks belonged to him."

"Which were?"

Neji absently chews, waiting until Tenten is seated on the bench before taking his place a space away. "Mission details are classified, Tenten," he says in a bored tone.

Tenten rolls her eyes and swallows down the rest of her snack. "Fine. Then tell me about Sunagakure."

"It was hot, as I've already told you."

Tenten grumbles under her breath. When she turns her head to berate him, his smile catches her off guard. She gapes at him. "Are you teasing me?"

Neji's gaze goes skipping away, but his smirk is ever-present, not even trying to hide it. "Perhaps. I don't get the privilege very often anymore."

Tenten smacks him viciously on the arm with her chicken-less skewer. "Don't think I won't find another place to impale you, Hyuga Neji," she says sharply.

Neji looks back at her, eyebrows raised in amusement. He sighs, chewing on the last of his meal, then says, "You already know the Hokage is planning to form a more organized version of the Allied Shinobi Forces. He wants Shikamaru to be in charge of it."

Tenten mulls this over, tapping her skewer thoughtfully against her leg. "And he sent him to Sunagakure to convince the Kazekage to join?"

Neji shakes his head. "Not convince, coordinate. It would seem most countries are on board already. But synchronizing so many people within such large countries isn't a simple task. You remember that's part of why the Sixth sent us to receive the message from the Hot Water daimyo."

"Sounds like a headache," Tenten mutters. "I'm surprised Shikamaru wanted the job."

Neji shrugs. "Well, not everyone can have the life they wanted at fifteen, right?" He shoots her a thoughtful glance, eyes gleaming as they search hers.

Tenten feels her pulse quicken slightly and jumps to her feet. "You're not the only one who's been doing important work," she says.

Neji gets up and they resume their walk. Tenten begins catching him up on all her research on the Land of Hot Water and the unsatisfactory results from the kunai sample. Neji goes silent as soon as she mentions it.

Perhaps it is a credit to how long she's known him, a result of the thousands of hours they've spent in each other's company, but long ago Tenten had come to sift through the layers of Neji's silences. When he's meditating, his silence is calm, like the ripple of a small pool, deep and measured. On the occasion he is surprised, his speechlessness is prickling, like brushing up against a hidden senbon. And when he is angry, his wordlessness is powerful, weighty and pressing, like a flame being snuffed out in an oppressively dark room.

But this silence has Tenten on edge, as if she had unknowingly crossed into a room she was not supposed to enter. She glances at him sidelong, but his features are as impassive as ever. Curious over his reaction, Tenten pushes on.

She leaves the door to her apartment open for him as she knocks off her shoes, immediately going to the kitchen to fill two glasses of water. She hears the front door close, softly, and then Neji is peering at her. She attempts a smile and hands him his glass, brushing past him to go sit on the floor of the living room, reaching for one of the library books. "See, right here, this is what I was talking about," Tenten holds the book out to him, tapping the section.

But Neji ignores it, his jaw moving, staring at her. He clears his throat, half-turns to drink. He isn't looking at her when he asks, "Why haven't you let this go yet?"

Tenten stills, gaping at him. Neji slowly faces her. His features are placid, but his mouth is turned down in a slight frown. "What do you mean?" Tenten sputters. "I told you, I want to know—"

"Why?" His question is loaded with something heavy, something akin to disapproval.

Tenten glares at him, incredulous. "What do you mean ' _why_ '? I want to know what my connection is to this—who I am."

Neji's face remains blank, but there is a tightening around his eyes that Tenten notices, a sign of growing anger. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say," he says, tone pointed. He does nothing to hide his dislike now.

Tenten stares at him. "Excuse me?"

Neji shifts his footing, moving into a commanding stance. Tenten knows this gesture for what it is—Neji is about to become irksomely stubborn. He treats her to a hard, unwavering look. "You don't need a well-known name or a genealogy to be someone." He raises an eyebrow, a weighty disappointment in his expression. His tone softens slightly as he says, "I thought you knew that."

"I do," Tenten bites back, clenching her jaw. "Why is wanting to know where I came from a bad thing? I thought you would have encouraged me—"

"You're bored, Tenten. That's what this is about."

Tenten briefly entertains the idea of slinging every kunai she's currently wearing on her person at Neji's face. Instead she says, indignant, "That's not fair, and you know it."

"Why not?" he challenges. "We're not going on missions and the Sixth is focusing on diplomacy. After you had that . . . vision, you decided to latch onto it and go exploring, rather than adjust to this new, peaceful life in Konoha. It's incredibly clear."

"You don't know shit, Hyuga Neji," Tenten snarls.

He blinks, jaw twitching as he takes in her angry expression. "I know you," he retorts stiffly. "Better than anyone, most would say."

Tenten tilts her chin, feeling haughty and desperate to prove him wrong, to put him in his place, to grasp for some sense of the support she'd hoped he'd offer. "Is it so wrong to want to know where I came from?"

"No. But you're . . . you're chasing something that's only going to upset you." He shrugs, holding her gaze. "I'd rather you not go after this when it's only going to leave you discouraged."

"You don't know that," Tenten says. "You don't know anything about it."

Neji nods once, ceding this point, but Tenten can tell she's done nothing to convince him of her perspective. Resolutely, he sets down his empty glass on the coffee table and moves towards the door. Tenten stands, crossing her arms. As he slips out the front door, Neji says bluntly over his shoulder, "You're chasing a dream. You should let it go."

Tenten's displeasure flames. She marches to the door, ready to slam it in his face. "Says the guy who spent _nine years_ holding a grudge."

Neji doesn't reply, head bent as he puts his shoes back on. Tenten waits. When he finally looks up, his expression is stony. "I've spent a long time trying to come to terms with my past. It is hard work to walk back on a road filled with so much pain." He pauses, briefly glancing at his feet before returning his gaze to her. "I don't want the same for you."

"You don't get to decide," Tenten replies crisply. "I make my own choices. My own path."

Neji blinks, nods. His mouth pulls into a dissatisfied frown. "I know you do."

Without another word, he quietly descends the stairs and walks out into the early evening. Tenten grips the door before shutting it with a loud bang. She stomps around her living room, unsettled, roiling through dozens of half-arguments that flood her brain. A part of her, nestled deep within, aches with the loss of her best friend's encouragement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- [ Archive library](https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/Konoha_Archive_Library)  
> \- [ Yakitori](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakitori)
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	6. Interlude Three

* * *

_I know that we got odds against us_

_We're probably gonna get real tired_

_Oh, we may have to choose_

_We're gonna have to learn what hard is_

_If it'll be a fight regardless_

_I only want the fight to be with you_

_-[Blood & Tears, Joseph](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMwi1jaShYQ)_

* * *

_**\- interlude three -** _

At first, it is abundantly clear to everyone that Hyuga Neji is going to die, even to himself. The medical compound is too far away to risk moving him for any extensive amount of time—hell, even all their medics are drained, barely any of them able to summon a drop of chakra to heal so much as a papercut.

Tenten stands frozen, behind Lee, watching as he cries over Neji's bloody body. _Fuck, so much blood_ , she thinks, dazed. Tenten's never seen so much blood, ever—not even when she'd done a handful of shifts at the hospital, when she'd still been intent on pursuing medical ninjutsu. Naruto's eyes are wide, and Tenten can hear him shouting for a medical team, voice strained with emotion. He shifts his support of Neji's weight, shaking his head vigorously.

Sakura drifts into view and firmly pushes Lee aside, green eyes cataloguing Neji's injuries with a quick eye. "I can save him," she mutters, barely loud enough for Tenten to catch. She turns her head, yells out orders to a few lingering medic-nin nearby, and they rush forward, helping her bring Neji to his feet.

Tenten cannot look at him—his eyes are closed, face pale with death. She feels Gai-sensei grip her shoulder, and they watch together, silent, as Neji is whisked away, out of their sight.

* * *

The rest of the night and the next morning are a blur. They are all ignited by Naruto's chakra, slip into Madara's Tsukuyomi, and then slowly emerge into that glorious morning when everything is suddenly, unbelievably, over.

Tenten shakes off the remnants of the genjutsu and finds herself at Darui's side, watching as he uses the fifth Treasured Tool to release his countrymen. She is drafted to assist in carrying out the menial tasks that crop up at the conclusion of war—covering and carrying the dead to their graves or to their comrades, the haphazard binding of wounds. It strikes a shiver down her spine, seeing all the bodies; it makes her think of Neji and the thought of it scares her. Her dream from Madara's jutsu sits heavily at the forefront of her mind, making her feel sluggish.

As early evening sets in and ninja build campfires and assemble makeshift tents, Tenten asks a passing medic where the field hospital has been constructed. He points her to the outskirts of the camp, and Tenten stares at it for a long moment before walking towards it.

She hesitates outside the tent flap for the briefest of seconds before summoning her courage to enter, eyes sweeping the room for familiar faces. The room, thankfully, is not packed to bursting. She glances over the people on the cots, some asleep, some talking quietly with friends or medics. At the back of the tent, Tenten spots a trademark bowl-cut of hair and approaches tentatively.

Lee's head is bowed over their sensei's cot, snoring softly. Tenten lifts her gaze to her sensei, scanning his form; she can see nothing outwardly wrong other than the wrappings that surround his legs and a few grotesque looking bruises. Gai-sensei is asleep, looking unusually grim in his slumber.

"Tenten?"

She starts at the sound of her name, her head snapping to the right. Neji looks back at her, wide-eyed and pale. She feels her lips mouth his name, fists clenching at her sides. He stares back, surprise lingering on his features.

"I thought," he begins weakly. He stops and swallows, briefly shutting his eyes. A wave of pain rolls across his face. "They told me you were . . . alright." Every word is a pace slower than his usual cadence, layered with difficulty.

Tenten crouches next to him and reaches out, gingerly embracing him. Neji's face presses into her shoulder and he shifts, turning his head into the crook of her neck for a more comfortable position. "I'm glad you're okay," Tenten whispers.

Neji's hand lifts to curl into the middle of her back. "Me too," he replies softly, his voice thrumming through Tenten's chest.

She pulls away and glances at him, embarrassed at the steadiness with which he's regarding her. Tenten offers up a feeble smile and finds a nearby stool to sit on, dragging it to his bedside. A few feet from them, Lee's snores blare out with deep exhaustion.

"So. Second time being impaled. How does it feel?" Tenten asks, attempting to be lighthearted.

Neji's mouth quirks. He sinks back onto his pillow and sighs tiredly. "Funnily enough, this second time was worse," he smirks, matching her tone. "Probably because we were in the middle of a warzone."

Tenten smiles tightly, remembering Sakura's rushed, barked orders to the medics surrounding her as they carried Neji to a more secure location. Her forearms had been covered in Neji's blood, green, healing light casting a sickly glow on his ashen face.

Neji catches her faraway look, and immediately commands, "Tell me about the battle."

Releasing a sigh of relief, Tenten obliges.

* * *

Neji listens attentively throughout her tale, intermittently asking questions. As Tenten begins to describe the muddled feeling of being released from the Infinite Tsukuyomi, a med-nin approaches their side of the tent. "Here to redo your bandages, Neji-san," he says lightly.

Neji grimaces but nods once, sitting up to accommodate. Tenten bites the inside of her cheek, unsure if she should excuse herself or not. But while she is still deciding, the medic tears away Neji's bandages with aplomb, and then she sees.

The scarring is bound to be gruesome. Tenten can't stop herself from gaping at the dark twist of flesh spread over Neji's lean and pale chest. Catching her eye, he jokes, jaw twitching, "It looks worse than it is."

Tenten scoffs, a flush rising to her cheeks. "It looks like someone set a firecracker off on the inside of your chest."

Neji smiles at this, a rare grin that foretells genuine amusement. He says nothing else as the bandages are wrapped around him anew, his gaze darting between the floor and Tenten. She stares, unsure of where else to look, her blush not quite ebbing.

When the medic leaves, Tenten opens her mouth to resume her story, but Neji interrupts her with a question. "What did you dream? In Madara's world?"

Tenten pauses and withdraws a kunai to fiddle with. She rubs her thumb against the edge of a kunai, wondering if she should tell him, if it will be too telling. Neji waits, reclining back against his pillows, heavy-lidded.

Tenten makes up her mind. She scoots the stool a few inches closer to Neji's side and says, "It was the four of us. Together. Lee and Gai-sensei were actually mature, for once. And we were. . ." Tenten trails off, remembering Neji at her side, at the way his fingers had slowly glided into hers, out of sight. She clears her throat, shrugging. "We were saying how it was good that they were finally acting normal. What did you dream?"

Neji glances away, shaking his head slightly. "I didn't. I . . . I was unconscious."

"Oh."

He nods again, winding a fist around his blanket, readjusting it. Tenten bites her lip then gets to her feet. "I bet you're tired. You're still recovering." She edges towards the tent opening, desperately needing some air and a place where she can cry in quiet. "I'll let you sleep."

She is a half-step away when Neji calls her back. "Tenten."

Tenten takes a deep breath and schools her expression back into calm. She glances at him over her shoulder, an eyebrow arched in answer. Neji stares at her for a long moment, his chest moving in slight rises and falls as he breathes. "I'm glad you're okay."

Tenten smiles and nods, before walking out into the darkness. She returns almost a half hour later, eyes dry and burning from shed tears. Neji is asleep on his side, long hair falling into his face. Tenten regards her three boys and feels her heart clench with gratitude.

* * *

Tenten hides her surprise when Hyuga Hiashi sweeps into the tent the following day, Hinata trailing in his wake.

Her dealings with the Hyuga clan leader had been sparse over the last week, despite the fact they'd been in the same division. Though over the years Hiashi and Neji's relationship had become less strained, Tenten still had trouble feeling easy-going around him. The clan leader remained an intimidating presence.

She watches from her corner, playing a card game with Lee and Gai-sensei, as Hiashi approaches. Neji sits up a little straighter, the movement making him wince. Tenten grips her cards a little too tight, bending them. Lee swats her hand and Tenten's eyes swivel to focus on the game, though her attention is on the conversation being had a few feet away.

"How are you feeling?" Hiashi asks Neji stiffly, taking a seat on the stool Tenten had been occupying for most of the morning. Hinata comfortably sits at the end of Neji's cot, her face pale with worry.

"Fine," Neji says. "Thank you for your concern."

Tenten's ears prick at the sound of sniffles; she glances over at them to see that Hinata is crying again—a common occurrence since she'd visited the tent earlier that morning. Tenten's heart clenches in sympathy.

"I am glad to hear it," Hiashi says. He hesitates for a long moment before confessing, "I am sorry I did not protect you better. I promised your father. . ." He trails off and Tenten looks up to see Neji's face pinched in attention, an eyebrow raised.

"Ah, yes," Hiashi murmurs. He looks down at his feet, bashful. "Your father. He was resurrected by the enemy. . . We fought, for a time."

Neji's expression shifts to something unreadable; Hinata grasps her cousin's hand and squeezes.

Hiashi clears his throat and casts a glance around the tent. He meets Tenten's eyes and she looks away quickly, cheeks flushing.

A moment later, Tenten hears him continue softly, "He said he was sorry to face me as an enemy, unnaturally forced as it was. I—what you did for Hinata—Neji, I should have done more. You are like my own son."

Tenten looks up again, struck by the sight of Hyuga Hiashi's bowed head, asking forgiveness from his nephew. Hinata is freely crying, her free hand wiping at her wet cheeks. But Neji's face is what draws her.

His jaw is clenched, the hand unclaimed by Hinata gripping his blanket. His eyes are downcast, eyebrows furrowed in dismay, mouth pursed. Slowly, he unwinds his grasp from the blanket and sets his hand on Hiashi's folded hands. "Please," Neji whispers, "what I did was my own choice. If I had died, I would not have held you responsible."

A shudder runs the length of Hiashi's bent spine; it takes Tenten a minute to realize he is trying his hardest not to cry. Neji moves his hand to briefly pat his uncle's head; his eyes lift to Tenten's. She cannot recall ever seeing Neji look so lost and unsure. He holds her gaze for a long moment, burning through her, and Tenten feels her heart stutter, staring back.

"Tenten," Lee mouths. Tenten's eyes snap to Lee's, face reheating at being caught intruding on the Hyuga's private moment. Lee holds up his cards and says, "Your turn."

Tenten dutifully pins her gaze to her cards, ignoring the searching eyes of Lee and her sensei. Seconds later, she feels Neji's intensity shift away from her, back to his uncle and cousin.

* * *

Their return to Konoha is delayed. Due to Neji and Gai-sensei's injuries, they require special transport, which both protest defiantly. After hearing the complaints (most loudly from Gai-sensei) for the better part of two days, Tenten finally settles it, fiercely saying, "You'll both submit to the medics' recommendations if you don't want to deal with me."

They are both more agreeable after this delivery, unwilling to press Tenten after seeing the edgy, rimmed rawness beneath her eyes.

To Tenten's incredulity, Hiashi and Hinata stay behind to accompany Neji home. She thinks she's hiding her disbelief quite well until Neji calls her over on the second day of their journey. He and Gai-sensei are being transported via cart, along with a handful of others too injured to make the journey back to Konoha on foot.

Tenten walks beside the cart, eyes ahead, as Neji studies her, finally saying, "I can tell you find his presence off-putting."

Tenten shrugs, noncommittal.

Neji presses, "You were in his division during the war. I would have thought you'd be . . . more acquainted."

Tenten shoots Neji a look. "It's just . . . weird. But it's none of my business."

"That didn't stop you from eavesdropping the other day," Neji points out, raising an eyebrow.

Tenten flushes and determinedly glances away, staring ahead at the road. Neji waits for her response. Biting the inside of her cheek, she says, "I've been your friend for six years, Neji, even when you were bitter and insufferable. I know that he's your uncle and your relationship is warmer now than what it used to be but. . ." Tenten trails off, gaze skittering to Neji's. She pointedly looks at his bandaged forehead, his protector tucked away in his pack. "It doesn't change anything, does it? You're still at his mercy."

This is clearly not what Neji had been expecting her to say. His cheeks redden, mouth opening to deliver a half-formed response before he shakes his head. When he has control of himself, he says, "I have accepted that my fate is in my own hands. Can't you do the same?"

Tenten scoffs. "Neji, what happens if Hanabi has children? Surely you'll have your own kids by then. Will you really submit them to the same fate? Being branded, like an animal?"

"You've never mentioned this before," he accuses, slightly defensive.

Tenten shrugs again. "Like I said, it's not my place. But you asked, so."

"Things will change," he says firmly. "There's been progress over the last few years—"

"How long will you have to wait for the seal to be taken away?" Tenten asks bluntly. "Because I don't see Hyuga-sama offering to release you."

Neji mouth tightens. He glances past her, clearly thinking through his reply. "It's not that simple."

Tenten rolls her eyes. "I don't believe that. If it were your uncle's priority, it would have been done already."

"He's trained me in the main house styles," Neji quips sharply, eyes blazing. "He's offered me a place at his table, elevated me more than any other branch member, even those that are older than me. I—you heard what he said."

Tenten can imagine the line in front of her, a bold warning sounding in her mind to not cross it. For once, she backs off. "It's none of my business," she murmurs. "You should rest." She can feel his eyes following her as she moves past the transport, and breathes a sigh as Lee walks over, falling into easy conversation.

As they are taking a brief rest later that afternoon, only an hour's distance from Konoha's gates, Hiashi approaches her. Tenten bobs her head briefly in a gesture of respect, then drinks from her canteen, eyeing the older man warily.

He seems careful of her as well, not quite looking at her as he shifts his footing. "We did not have much time to speak to one another during the conflict," he begins, sounding almost apologetic.

Tenten waves this away. "We were all a little busy," she supplies with an easy smile.

Hiashi nods, fixing her with a curious gaze. "I was told that you handled the famed Treasured Tools during the battle. It takes great skill to use those."

Tenten's eyebrows rise, unsure of who would have bothered to mention it. _Neji_ , says a small voice inside her head. _Who else?_ Tenten swallows, lifting her chin in pride. "Yes. Darui-san said he would teach me some of their techniques in a few months when things are more . . . settled."

Hiashi mulls over this for a moment, glancing away to study the landscape behind her. "My nephew admires your skills very much. He has always told me that you are the best training partner he's ever had."

Tenten flushes at this unwarranted compliment. She clears her throat, takes another sip from her canteen. Hiashi continues, "He will have a hard time these next few months, recovering from his injuries. He will never. . . He will be more limited in his abilities from now on."

Tenten flinches, her anger aroused. Her tone sharp, she says, "Neji will always exceed expectations. I'm sure he can overcome any obstacle, even this one. That is our nindo."

Hiashi looks at her. Tenten cannot tell if he is surprised or affronted by her response. He attempts a small, sympathetic smile. "You are both young still. Unfortunately, as you grow older, you will begin to realize not everything can be surmounted; it must simply be lived with."

Tenten crosses her arms, eyes narrowing in defiance. "With respect, Hyuga-sama, I disagree."

Hiashi seems unbothered by this statement. He treats her to a sweeping gaze, sizing her up. "You remind me, strangely, of my brother. He had a fighting spirit like yours too when he was younger." Hiashi shakes his head, as if shaking a specter from his mind. He turns away to return closer to camp, to where Hinata is conversing with Lee and a handful of other chunin. Over his shoulder, he says, "Neji is lucky to have you."

Tenten watches Hiashi walk away, gripping her canteen tightly. To his back, she mutters, "Tell me something I don't know, Hyuga-sama."

* * *

Hiashi's prediction, however, proves true only six weeks later. Tenten and Neji are at their training grounds on a wintry afternoon, only hours after Sakura had officially released Neji from her supervision.

They are in the middle of a spar when Neji drops his arms, suddenly breathless. Tenten stops her attack, watching him carefully try to catch his breath. "What's wrong?" she asks after a moment.

"Nothing," Neji immediately says, wiping the chilled sweat off his face. "I'm fine."

Tenten swings a shuriken onto her finger, tilting her head as Neji attempts to take a few deep, measured breaths to settle his heart rate. "Maybe we should stop for the afternoon," she offers.

"No." His response is immediate, forbidding, dismissive. He treats her to a stern glare. "I'm fine," he re-emphasizes. "Let's continue."

Tenten obliges, though slower than she is used to. She abandons her tools to spar in taijutsu, moving in close. She ducks almost immediately, avoiding Neji's hand. She seizes her opening and lands a smack to his elbow; Neji's palm grazes her wrist, and Tenten dances away, her skin searing a little from Neji's chakra.

But she can hear Neji's labored breathing as he follows. Frowning, Tenten conjures her bo staff from a miniature scroll at her waist, holding it out to stop Neji from advancing. He eyes her irritably, pushing at the staff. Tenten resists, rapping him sharply across the chest. He tries to hide it, but the rush of breath that leaves him is enough to make up Tenten's mind. "We're done for today," she mutters, returning the staff to her scroll.

Neji is outright glaring, now, rubbing absently at his chest from where she'd struck. "I'm fine," he says.

Tenten raises an eyebrow in challenge. "Doesn't seem like it."

Neji scoffs, going over to a nearby tree, where he'd placed his canteen. He takes a long drink, then regards her irritably. "I was only released today."

Tenten stares at him. "That's not like you," she says slowly. "To make excuses."

He shakes his head and glances away, frustration rolling off him in waves. Strained, he says, "My. . . Sakura said that it would take longer to restore my body to where it was before my injury. Not like last time."

"Why?" Tenten asks, trying to recall the handful of times she'd accompanied Neji to his check-ups at the hospital. She could not remember anything out of the ordinary.

Neji's mouth twists into a disappointed half-smile. "Because they had to reseal all of my internal organs. The branch. . . It grazed my spine, fractured my ribcage." Neji shrugs, as if this is commonplace.

 _Dammit, I've been so stupid_ , Tenten thinks, blanching. She recalls the image of Neji's chest from that day in the field hospital, a mangled mess of dark red flesh juxtaposed against his pale skin. "You could have mentioned it," she says aloud.

Neji gives a dismissive shake of his head. "I don't like people thinking that I'm weak."

"Dammit, Neji," Tenten says, exasperated. "Do you want to have another reason to go back to the hospital? We should have waited to resume training, or at least started with something small."

"I don't want _you_ to treat me like I'm broken."

She flinches at his tone of voice and presses her lips together, stopping herself from delivering a sharp retort. Neji's back is to her as he stares into the forest, his broad shoulders rising and falling with uneven breaths.

Tenten thumbs the top of her belt, fidgety. She feels foolish, putting Neji in jeopardy, pushing him past his limits. _How can we be like before?_ she wonders, sad. Another voice in her head whispers, _You can't._

She rubs a finger along her brow, pushing down the rising tide of anxiety within her. She tries to sound encouraging as she says, "We can. . . We'll work up to where we were at . . . you know, before."

She fails at hiding her disappointment. Neji glances at her over his shoulder. "This isn't the life I expected either," he says, giving her a hard look.

"I know," she murmurs.

"My uncle. . . he's said that he wants my help to train Hanabi and my other, younger cousins," Neji says lightly, as if they are having a normal conversation.

Tenten's chest tightens. _See? Already, things have changed_. "That's good," she forces out. She moves for the gate, unable to stomach the possibility of Neji letting her down easily.

"Tenten."

She wants to run away from him, from the pity she can sense him gathering. Instead, she pauses, casting him a quick glance. Neji's usual impassive expression has been replaced by something pleading, something teetering towards heartache. He gives a subtle shake of his head. "Don't let me hold you back."

Tenten blinks, then nods once. She continues her path to the gate and then hesitates, looking back at him. Neji stands in the clearing of their training grounds, lingering as he looks up at the cold winter sky. His posture is loose and defeated. It makes Tenten want to cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Neji was stabilized and healed using the [Healing Resuscitation Regeneration Technique](https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/Healing_Resuscitation_Regeneration_Technique)
> 
> \- One more reminder that the majority of the narration for this fic is coming from Tenten's perspective. . . You can use that information how you wish.
> 
> If there are canon mistakes, please forgive my oversight. The tension and angst will be unresolved for a while . . . you've been duly notified. If you have Thoughts, please leave a comment below. Hope everyone's doing good. See you next Monday!


	7. Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Recap from our previous chapter: Neji is sent away by the Sixth to Sunagakure, postponing he and Tenten's conversation. Tenten has the kunai tested for origin, but the results come back inconclusive. She goes to the archive library, where she runs into Naruto, who gives her the idea to research the Land of Hot Water-but she hits a dead end. After training one afternoon with Lee and Gai, Tenten steals away to the training grounds to work on explosives. Neji finds her there, and they discuss how things have changed, as well as Neji's position within the Hyuga clan. Tenten brings up her progress, or lack therof, with the kunai, and Neji is notably displeased. They argue, their conversation ending when Neji decides to leave. Tenten is left upset, disappointed with Neji's lack of support.

* * *

_There's nights we had to just walk away_

_And there's tears we'll cry but those tears will fade_

_It's a price you pay when it comes to love_

_And we'll take what comes, take what comes_

_-[Walking the Wire, Imagine Dragons](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nv9br7P7g0)_

* * *

_**\- four -** _

Tenten is grumpily returning her library books on the Land of Hot Water the next day when something catches her eye. The librarian had set out a new display near the inquiries desk: a beautifully detailed scroll, painted with swirls of color. Tenten's eyes rove over the image, trying to extract something familiar.

The librarian catches her looking and says, wistfully, "Tragic, isn't it? We could have learned so much from them."

Tenten raises an eyebrow, not following. "What is this picture of?"

The librarian studies Tenten with a patient expression. "Ah, yes, you're much too young to have been alive then." She points to the scroll, one age-spotted hand gesturing over the carefully sketched buildings and roads. "This was Uzushiogakure. Before it was destroyed, of course."

An involuntary shiver pricks Tenten's skin. The Land of Whirlpools, off Fire and Hot Water's coast. Tenten could have kicked herself for the oversight.

She pushes her loaned books onto the counter and requests, not quite able to restrain her earnestness, "Can I check out every book you have on the Land of Whirlpools, please?"

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Tenten leaves the library with about ten books, unable to carry anymore in her arms-not that the library had had any left. As the librarian had explained, books on Whirlpools were few and far between, mostly due to the small handful of refugees that had escaped prior to the land's destruction. But it was no matter—even a shred of information was beneficial.

She sinks into the book on the top of her stack immediately upon arriving home, skimming passages as she prepares tea one-handed. The day slips away around her, but Tenten is consumed with her research, nose inches from the page, absently forgetting her tea until she takes a sip and winces, the liquid unpalatably cold.

Then, finally, she finds what she is looking for in the next to last book she'd checked out, a tome on the influences of fuinjutsu among ninja villages:

_The most proficient of fuinjutsu users were the shinobi of the Land of Whirlpools. It is said in ancient texts that the island of Whirlpools was assembled with fuinjutsu: where disparate lands were then expertly sealed together to form the island, though all written records of this have vanished. Much of what we know of that Land and its jutsu, however little it may be, was passed down from Uzumaki Mito, descendant of the Otsutsuki clan and wife to the Shodai Hokage, Senju Hashirama._

_During the Second Shinobi World War, fears concerning the mysterious sealing jutsu of the Land of Whirlpools seized the hearts of many ninja villages. A small but proud nation, the Land of Whirlpools resisted for a long while against the growing prejudice from other larger ninja lands. However, their response to other countries' preconceptions only furthered wider suspicion concerning their techniques._

_One summer during the war, in the dead of night, a group of shinobi from scattered ninja villages approached the Land of Whirlpools by water ninjutsu. According to vague reports, Uzushiogakure anticipated the attack and was prepared for the assault. However, at some point, the tide of battle turned, and the leaders of the island determined to cause the land and the secrets of their fuinjutsu to be destroyed. There are a handful of Whirlpool refugees stated to be living in countries scattered across the world. Notably, Uzumaki Kushina is one of these, a resident of our own Konohagakure. . ._

Tenten stills and flips the book to gaze at the inside cover, analyzing its publication date. It was dated to have been written nearly three years before she was born. Tenten frowns and closes the book, setting it down on top of the pile of others from the library. She breathes deeply through her nose, thinking through all that she'd learned in the last few hours. Slowly, she reaches for the grooved kunai and turns it over absently, unseeing. She runs her fingers over the familiar metal, thoughts drifting through her knowledge of hidden seals. There were no seal markings on the metal, and Neji himself hadn't seen a chakra signature when she'd first showed him a couple of weeks ago. Tenten bites her lip, and sits up a little straighter, laying the kunai down on the floor in front of her. Pushing down her excitement, Tenten forms a release and exhales, gaze settling expectantly on the kunai.

It glows for a brief moment in faded blue chakra and then resumes its appearance, the metal glinting dully underneath Tenten's living room lamp. She waits for a moment, searching for some sign, before sighing in disappointment.

"Maybe Neji was right," she mutters, plucking up the kunai and studying it in her palm. It takes a second, maybe two, before a tingling sensation spreads through her hand, the kunai emitting a faint tremor of chakra.

Tenten's heart hammers in her chest as lines emerge on the metal tool, creating intricate patterns, filling in what she'd thought had been mere artistic expression. She traces them with her fingertips, watching as the lines spread down the kunai's grooves and consolidate at the tip of the blade. At its point, a glowing, concentric circle turns. Tenten recognizes it instantly—it can be seen throughout Konoha's history, on buildings, on clothing, the symbol of a long-ago partnership, now laid to rest. Swirling at the kunai's tip is the emblem of the Land of Whirlpools.

* * *

The sun is setting as Tenten races out of her apartment and zips towards Gai's home. She had reasoned, as she'd tugged on her shoes, that Gai would be her most avid supporter; she would need him to convince the Rokudaime to permit her journey. He thankfully answers the door when Tenten knocks, and she rushes past him, holding out the kunai like a trophy. "I figured it out!" she exclaims. "I know where this came from!"

Gai raises his eyebrows and leaves the door open, wheeling over to her. His dark eyes are fixed on the faint, rotating circle. "Tenten—"

"This kunai is from the Land of Whirlpools!" Tenten bursts, unable to hold in her excitement. She cannot stand still; she paces around Gai's small living room, reciting passages from the books she'd read from that day, announcing her suspicion about Uzushiogakure from the scroll in Konoha's library, fastidiously describing the release she'd performed and the chakra-lined pattern that had appeared. She frantically turns on her heel to appraise her teacher's expression. "I have to go!" she says. "I have to see where it leads!"

Gai's eyes are misty, brimming with tears. He gives a short, strained nod. "Yes," he says, unnaturally subdued. "Yes, you must, my dear."

Tenten is practically panting from exhilaration, too excited to notice his expression. She asks him, "Will you help me convince Hokage-sama? I can't go without his approval."

For a moment, Tenten waits for Gai to respond; his mouth tightens, eyes crinkling with something unpleasant. But then he nods and beams his usual thousand-watt smile. "Of course."

* * *

Though the day is almost over, Tenten sprints with Gai to the Hokage's office, breathless as she pushes them both up the stairs. "Come in," sighs a tired-sounding Kakashi when Tenten raps on his office door.

Tenten pushes Gai inside, and steps in after him, holding the stitch in her side. She dips her head in a brief sign of respect and then approaches the Hokage's desk, her throat dry.

"Gai? Tenten? What is it?" Kakashi asks, looking at them curiously.

Gai and Tenten exchange a quick look. Gai says softly, "Go ahead, my dear."

Wordlessly, Tenten holds out the kunai, the symbol still rotating slowly on the blade. In a rush of breath, she explains the events of the last few weeks—the vision at the border, finding the kunai buried beneath her caretaker's mementos, her suspicion that her past lay unclaimed on the shores of Uzushiogakure.

Kakashi listens attentively, sinking back into his chair when she finishes. He eyes her, his one visible eye filled with scrutiny. "You want to travel to the Land of Whirlpools," he deduces. He gives a brief shake of his head. "Tenten, it's a ruin."

"I know," Tenten says quickly. "But . . . this kunai—I think these lines are a map."

Kakashi picks up the kunai from where Tenten had set it on his desk, studying one side, then the other. "A map to what?" he asks, glancing at Gai behind her.

"I don't know," Tenten admits. "But I want to find out."

Kakashi sighs heavily. "That journey should not be made alone."

"Lee and Neji will come with me," Tenten says in a rush. "I know they will."

Kakashi rubs a thumb along the emblem on the kunai, ultimately holding it out for her to take. Sighing again, he says, "Fine. Go. Just be careful, and report back to me when you return."

"Yes, Hokage-sama. Thank you."

She turns on her heel to steer Gai back out and accompany him back home, but he waves her off, smiling. "I think I will catch up with Kakashi for a moment, Tenten."

Tenten nods easily, too elated to care. She bows to both of them and leaves the room, flushed with glee. She surges out into the evening, already set to go deliver the news to Lee and Neji, when her eye catches on a familiar lean form not a yard away. Tenten waves and calls out, "Lee!"

Lee answers with a shout and heads over, a smaller figure at his side. It hits Tenten a second after they start over who Lee might be with. She looks at him sheepishly, trying to silently communicate her apology for interrupting his date. Lee, however, is unbothered, face shining with exercise, eyes lit from within. He thrusts his date forward and Tenten greets a shy-looking girl around their age with dark, shoulder-length hair and almond-shaped eyes.

"You must be Mai," Tenten says. Mai smiles and nods.

"This is my teammate, Tenten," Lee introduces, beaming between the two girls. "Were you hiking the mountain as well, Tenten?"

Tenten makes a face and shakes her head. "No, I was meeting with Hokage-sama. Listen, Lee, will you come with me and Neji on a mission in the morning? I can explain the details later, but—"

"Is this related to your quest, Tenten? Of course, I will come. It is always a youthful time with you and Neji!"

Tenten grins, feeling a surge of affection for him. "Thanks," she says. "Let's meet at the gate, in the morning, okay? At dawn."

Lee agrees and Tenten steps away, giving Mai a parting nod. "Take the mountain slow, alright?" she tells Lee. "Not everyone has your enthusiasm."

"It's okay," Mai intercedes with a small smile. She glances at Lee, eyes sparkling like stars. "I like new challenges."

Lee's mouth splits into a grin that would rival Gai's. Tenten watches them continue up the path, a soft smile resting on her lips.

* * *

On her way home, Tenten is so wrapped up in compiling a mental packing list that she barely registers Neji coming towards her on the main road until he holds up a hand in greeting. She waves back, the previous evening rushing back to her. Tenten frowns. Neji stops as she approaches, features unreadable.

"Guess what?" Tenten poses, rocking on her feet. "Hokage-sama gave me permission to leave in the morning."

Neji's eyes immediately narrow. "What for?"

She holds up the kunai, watching as he zeroes in on the dim lines of chakra. "To follow this map."

Neji stares at the tool for a long moment, then looks back at her. He gives a brief shake of his head. "Don't do this, Tenten." His request, though soft-spoken, only serves to reignite Tenten's indignation from the night before.

"What is the problem, Neji?" she demands, fists balling at her sides. "Why won't you support me, like I've done for you all these years?"

Neji ignores her question to ask one of his own: "Why are you so intent on chasing this down? Why can't it be enough to know that you are a kunoichi of the Leaf village? A weapons specialist? A member of Team Gai?" Neji looks down, glaring at the kunai in her clenched hand. "Why should you let the past dictate who you are now?"

"It's not your decision to make."

"No," he agrees, in a tone that communicates he is not pleased with the fact.

Tenten's mouth pulls into a dissatisfied slant. She crosses her arms in a fit of frustration. "I don't need your protection, Neji."

He glances up at her, face carefully devoid of emotion. "Perhaps not," he says after a long moment. "But I decided to anyway."

"What do you mean?" Tenten demands.

Neji blinks, lips pursing. He opens his mouth to speak, gaze skittering away, to a point over her shoulder. "I like to think you would have done the same for me—offering protection."

"This isn't a spar," Tenten reminds sharply. "This is my _life_. My history."

"Why must my protection only cover you in a fight? Isn't this what friends do—defend one another in every situation?" He is looking at her again now, forehead creased, searching for understanding. "We were always your family. I—"

 _Please don't say you're my brother_ , Tenten thinks. _Don't._

But Neji stops himself before finishing his sentence. He regards her silently with a hard look, swallowing. Distantly, Tenten recognizes that he is nervous. She eyes him suspiciously. "What's going on?" she asks slowly.

Neji's jaw twitches, but he stays silent. Tenten waits for several long moments, tapping her foot, but Neji doesn't speak. She sighs, her patience running out. She shoulders past him to return to her apartment, to begin packing for the journey.

Much to Tenten's annoyance, Neji follows. She exhales loudly, hoping he'll get the point as she unlocks her front door. But Neji, either out of pure stubbornness or obliviousness, remains immovable at her side, waiting to enter.

Cursing under her breath, Tenten walks through the front door, turning on her living room lamp as she goes, before hanging a left into her kitchen. She mechanically sets the kettle on the stove as Neji shuts the door behind him, appearing a second later in the doorway. His forehead is furrowed in displeasure, eyes flinty as they rest on her.

"What?" Tenten demands, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

"You haven't even thought this through," Neji begins, attempting to sound reasonable, though his voice is tense. "What if you don't find anything?"

"Neji," Tenten says, trying for a level voice, clenching her fists, "I have a kunai engraved with a _map_. What makes you think I'm not going to find _anything_?"

"It's a seal from over twenty years ago. Who says that what you're looking for will even still be there?"

"You're supposed to be my _friend_ ," Tenten says waspishly, not catching his meaning.

"I _am_ ," Neji responds with just as much venom.

"Then why can't you help me with this? Lee's coming—"

"Because _Lee_ knows nothing. He sees this as another trek."

"Oh, and you do? Know something?" Tenten quips.

Neji's jaw twitches. He nods once. "Yes. I do."

Tenten studies him for a moment, searching his face for some sort of clue. Finally, she says, "Want to enlighten me, then? To what it is that you're hiding?"

On the stove, the kettle begins to whistle, and Tenten switches off the stovetop, letting the sound peter out until it only stiff silence between them. Neji's frown deepens, his eyes staying on hers. Tenten waits, breathing slowly, unsure of what to expect.

His mouth pulls to the side in a gesture of resignation. He glances at a point over her shoulder for a second. When his gaze returns, it is strangely penitent. "I know what happened to your parents," he answers quietly.

Tenten gapes at him, hot blood roaring in her ears. "What do you mean you know what happened?"

Neji purses his lips tightly, his expression wary. "I read about it. Ages ago."

"You _read_ about it?" Tenten repeats, confused. "How? I've scoured almost every book in the Konoha library—where did you—?"

"It wasn't that kind of research," Neji explains.

Tenten flinches and waits for him to continue. Neji looks sheepish under her attention; he glances briefly down at his feet. "The Hyuga clan has a very extensive library. It dates back hundreds of years, back to the village's founding. I found a book. . ." he winces, shakes his head, and continues no further.

Tenten gapes at him. Neji does not break his gaze, a testament to how well he knows her—to know that she needs to see his eyes when he makes such a confession. A snarl curls on Tenten's lips. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wasn't my history to recount."

Tenten works an ulcer in her mouth, instantaneously angry. "All of this investigating I've been doing, and you could have just _said_ —"

"You wouldn't have taken my word for it, Tenten. You know that you wouldn't have."

"Yes, I would!" Tenten spits, though there is a flutter of doubt in her heart. "Haven't I trusted you for years? Why would this be any different?"

Neji shifts his footing; Tenten studies the guilt on his face. "You know that this is different than a mission or an order." He speaks with certainty, as if he had meditated on this situation many times and had worked out all the intricacies. _Maybe he has_ , Tenten thinks snidely.

But she does not want to entertain logical explanations and what-could-have-beens. She is furious and she wants him to know it. "You've betrayed my trust," she says stingingly. "How could you? You knew something about me that I've wondered for ages, and you deliberately _chose_ not to reveal it." A thought occurs to her, sharp in its discovery. "Does Lee know too?"

Neji shakes his head, folding his arms into his sleeves.

"Gai-sensei, then?"

Neji just looks at her, silent. Tenten scoffs, the empty ache of betrayal deepening in her gut. "Fucking unbelievable," she mutters.

"We did what we thought was best for you. Gai-sensei asked me not to divulge what I'd learned."

"And you were _so_ happy to oblige," Tenten snaps. "Hyuga Neji, second in command, the perfect prodigy of Konoha."

There is a flash of anger in Neji's eyes. Rigidly, he warns her, "Do not speak to me like that."

"Or what?" Tenten challenges. She doesn't care if she hurts him now. She wants a fight. Her hand is already straying to a set of shuriken resting at the belt on her hip.

Neji's jaw tightens, but he says nothing. Tenten grasps a tool, squeezes it in her palm. "I guess it was too much for you to understand why I want to do this."

"You have no reason to!" Neji says loudly, his own frustration flooding out. "Everything that is important, that actually matters, you already have it. You don't need a redacted history to make yourself more of who you already are!"

"That's not your decision! I can't believe you don't understand this—why I would want this!" Tenten exclaims, eyebrows knitted in dismayed confusion.

"I understand everything," Neji retorts cuttingly, glaring at her.

"We'll see," Tenten mutters, her stance shifting.

Neji looks down at the shuriken clenched between Tenten's fingers. "You're going to spar with me over this small thing?" he mutters contemptuously. "I only have your well-being in mind."

"I can take care of myself, Hyuga Neji. I've been doing it for years." She flicks the shuriken into the air. It whizzes past Neji's head as he shifts again, lodging itself in the wall with a dull thud.

"You're too stubborn," Neji barks in a rush of sharp edges. "All you think of is finding an escape route."

Tenten is struck silent, her hand quivering on the kunai. "So what?" she says after a moment spent mustering her courage.

She and Neji have fought before—countless times, in fact, over missions, over responsibilities, over attitude—but never with this unknown, lingering bite to it, like every word has been meditated on and finely plucked at its ripest.

"So, you're being foolish-acting like you're desperate, when you've never been this way before." Neji turns to her, gaze imperious, arms in the loose juken style, prepared to defend himself from attack. "You can't escape the way things are now, no matter how hard you try."

"Who cares? This is what I want to do. I'm not asking you to come," Tenten mutters, unable to keep the hurt and disappointment from her voice.

Neji's face turns even stonier in displeasure. "A fool can only make more foolish decisions, I suppose," he murmurs.

And that is the last straw. Tenten launches herself towards him with a yell and Neji falls back, blocking her advances. They maneuver around the furniture in her living room, knocking over piles of books, half-tripping on scattered scrolls and weapons, pushing over potted plants that break and spill soil onto the floor.

"Enough," Neji breathes as Tenten pins him in the hallway. His hands are gripping her wrists, stopping the kunai that is only inches from digging into his chest. Tenten shakes her head, rears back, but Neji breaks away, ducking out onto her balcony. With a growl, Tenten follows.

They fly into the night air, flashing close, letting sparks fly from their kunai, before jolting apart. Tenten is not even surprised when they find themselves in their training grounds. They stand heaving in the middle of the clearing, staring. Neji absently traces a finger along his arm—Tenten had been successful in slicing a neat little slash into his bicep. Tenten wipes the back of her hand across her forehead, pouring sweat.

"You're so selfish," Tenten mutters. "Why couldn't you have helped me? You're supposed to be my friend."

Neji does not respond, Byakugan already activated. He casts aside his kunai and assumes his kaiten stance, regarding her intently. "Answer me, Tenten. Why do you care now?" he poses. "You've constantly been seeking adventure or a fight or a new weapon. The war is over. Our way of life has changed. When are you going to be content?"

His words bring pricks of heat to the corners of her eyes. Savagely, she grits out, "Neji, this is about my _family_. The people that I belong to. How could you—"

"You belong with _us_!" Neji interrupts sharply. "With Team Gai! How can you be so shortsighted?"

With that, Tenten charges forward, flash-stepping into Neji's space before he begins his rotation. He springs back, and their limbs blur as Neji defends against Tenten's blitz of attacks. With concerted effort, she mutters, "You have a family."

Neji's expression darkens with distaste as he falls out of his stance, quickly stepping back to put space between them once more. "So do you," he grits out. "You are my family. And Lee and Gai-sensei. You don't need a last name or a family tree to have people care about you."

"It's different for me," Tenten maintains. "I don't—I lost Baachan and Jiichan. I've never. . . It's always been me, by myself. You have your family, Lee has his clan and Gai-sensei. Who do I have?" she retorts, shaking her head.

"Me. You have me," Neji answers seriously.

Tenten sighs. "It's not the _same_ , Neji." She looks down at her hands, at the old kunai. With a cry of frustration, she unleashes a series of senbon, pulled from the scroll at her waist. Neji dodges each and every one, his footwork bringing him closer.

She stumbles back, holding up her arm as Neji delivers a series of strikes that take her breath away. His pursuit is unrelenting. She is so focused on keeping him from closing her tenketsu points, that she barely hears him as he asks, "Why does it have to be?"

Her arms are aching now; she makes a misstep and feels Neji seal a trail of points in her arm. She groans at the loss, trying to keep up her pace though one of her arms has gone limp. Neji keeps moving, grazing her shoulder, her waist, her neck.

Tenten lets out a whimper as her back hits a tree. Neji's hand blazes with chakra, poised over her heart. Tenten feels drained. She meets his eyes, frowning. Languidly, she lifts her kunai from his ribs to rest against his throat. Neji lets her, eyes no longer strained with the Byakugan.

"You're the one that we care about," he whispers resignedly. "Not our reputations. Not our ambition or records. You."

The chakra dims around his fingers, then extinguishes altogether, though he does not move away. He swallows and Tenten follows the bob of his throat, wanting nothing more than to close her eyes and drop into black, dreamless sleep. "You're the person I want to protect the most," he murmurs, his tone softening, rounded and gentle.

Her kunai is still pressed to his throat. Tentatively, Neji grasps her wrist. He presses her hand to his mouth, the cool metal of the kunai and the heat of her fingers brushing against his lips. Tenten's eyelids flutter.

His warmth leaves her as he steps away. He watches her, pale eyes luminescent in the darkness of the forest. Tenten stares back, barely awake, her chakra low. Following a long pause, he says, "I would do anything for you. You know that, right?"

Solemnly, Tenten nods, choosing not to question him for now, too drained to form a coherent sentence. Neji studies her for another second, then moves forward, pulling her limp arm over his shoulders. He flash-steps into nothing.

* * *

Her consciousness dips in and out. She does not realize where she is until Neji sets her gently on the edge of her bed. She vaguely feels her body drift to lie down on her mattress. His touch ghosts down her immobile arm, and then Tenten can breathe a little easier, her tenketsu re-opened. She can sense Neji's presence lingering in the doorway. He whispers, "Don't look so hard. We've always been here. We always will be. I—I'll always be here."

Tenten's eyes slip closed and she finally succumbs to undisturbed sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- I forgot to mention this all the other times I used it so far, but when I say "flash-step" I'm referring to the [Body Flicker Technique](https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/Body_Flicker_Technique).
> 
> We are going to be entering an interlude series from now until the end of the fic (we are halfway now, yay!) where we will break from Tenten-centric interludes. Hope you're ready to see some new perspectives.
> 
> Have Thoughts? Comments? Drop them below. Thank you for reading. :)


	8. Interlude Four

* * *

_So I never say die_

_Aim never untrue_

_I'm never so high as when I'm with you_

_And there isn't a fire that I wouldn't walk through_

_My army of one is gonna fight for you_

_-[Army of One, Coldplay](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE6vs4jqXWc)_

* * *

_**\- interlude four: gai -** _

Gai consigns himself to one day lead a genin team almost as soon as he is promoted to chunin at the youthful age of eleven.

The world is in the thick of the Third Shinobi War. There are days spent in the middle of battles, or crouching in underbrush to sabotage enemies, or recovering in makeshift shelters. It is a miserable time, and though Gai loves the challenge of fighting and sharpening his taijutsu skills, it leaves him wishing for brighter days.

When he is promoted to jonin at the age of twenty, he races to the Third's office to immediately put his name in for a genin team. But the Sandaime, out of caution or simply because he believes Gai is not yet ready, urges him to wait a few years.

So Gai does. He bides his time, completing missions, growing in strength, and watching the Academy students in passing. He wonders which of them will be lucky enough to have him as their sensei and hopes with all his heart that they will feel the same about him.

When he is twenty-five, the Third finally arranges a team of three for Gai to watch over. Looking over their files, Gai is immediately pleased to see Rock Lee, the young taijutsu-enthusiast, has been placed with him. His favoritism is instantaneous, and Gai makes a silent promise even in that moment to help Lee achieve his dreams of greatness without genjutsu or ninjutsu.

Hyuga Neji Gai has also heard of, though he has never personally met the boy before. His file is littered with notes from instructors, stating the child is a genius, already adept in the dojutsu and juken styles of his clan, despite the fact he is from a lesser branch. Gai glances over the photo and resolves that the boy will be too proud for his own good.

The kunoichi, Tenten, carries no surname and no outstanding abilities, save her marksmanship in bukijutsu. Gai lightly smiles, recognizing her from the previous times he'd seen her target practice at the Academy. In her photo, her brown-eyed gaze is level and serious, though there is a mischievous spark he can see within their depths. Gai's heart warms to her instantly.

"I will protect them with my life, Hokage-sama," vows Gai, bowing his head in gratitude.

* * *

When he first meets Lee, the boy is still in the Academy. Rock Lee is scrawny, with a lean build and a thin, eager face. His thirst to prove himself is apparent before Gai says two words to him. It reminds Gai of himself as a young genin, desperate to make his mark on the world.

Lee is easy to read and desperate to please, a boundless ball of energy that at times tends to rival Gai's own pursuit of youthfulness and intensity. Their communication styles and goals are similar, which makes their partnership near-effortless. To Gai's pleasure, Lee is balanced and easy to get along with. He proves himself instantly to be a thoughtful and caring person, not only for his teammates, but for everyone he chances to meet.

In comparison to his other students, Maito Gai believes that Neji is the most complex.

From the outset, the young Hyuga branch member lingers near the line of outright dismissive. In that first year, Gai watches him closely, attempting to hide the degree of his awe and irritation. Neji succeeds in everything—so much so that Gai quickly notes the rivalry developing between he and Lee. Instead of encouraging otherwise like many of his fellow jonin teachers would, Gai seizes the opportunity to spur it on, routing Lee and Neji against each other as often as possible.

Once, Kakashi jokingly comments that it is unnecessarily cruel. But Gai merely shakes his head and points out their own rivalry had led them to being very close friends. _Besides_ , Gai had said with his usual smile, _you don't know my students like I do_. Kakashi had ceded this point with one notoriously crinkled eye in laughter.

Gai and Neji develop an unspoken understanding within the first few months of the formation of Team Gai. Among Lee and Tenten, or even with other ninja, Neji would neither submit nor confess to any of Gai's emotional or mental probes, too proud to expose himself in any way. However, if it were only the two of them, Neji was more willing to open himself up to Gai's questions—though this was contingent on Gai behaving in a more serious manner than usual.

When Neji is thirteen, only moments after Hyuga Hiashi had left his nephew alone at the chunin exams, Gai enters to see Neji frantically wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand. Gai says nothing as he walks over, crouching to fold his arms around the young boy. To his surprise, Neji hugs him back. To Gai, it feels like a breakthrough.

Unlike Lee, Neji treats his relationship with Gai as something to be tread on lightly. He rarely asks for help, instead submitting to Tenten's opinion or his uncle's. But there are times when Neji only turns to Gai, and it is these moments that he holds most precious.

As for Tenten, she is an enigma.

Gai remembers the first day he'd seen her—ages ago, right before he'd made jonin. He'd dropped by the Academy on his way home from submitting mission details to the Sandaime, and he'd paused to watch the young students practice on targets outside in the late spring sunshine.

He watches from the Academy's courtyard, analyzing the students' throws. A little girl stands almost hidden between two other students, her frame slight and bony. Gai watches as she withdraws a kunai and tosses it, almost lazily, at the target. It hits the center of the bullseye easily.

Umino Iruka is overseeing their progress, doling out reassurances. Lee is there among them, throwing his kunai with all he's got, and Gai beams in pride. His young protégé waves at him with an energetic, "Watch me, Gai-sensei!" and turns to sling a kunai at the nearest target. It misses, and Lee wails aloud in disappointment.

Gai calls back, "Keep going, Lee! Your spirit is on fire!"

Iruka, noting his presence, smiles and steps away from his students to approach Gai. "Gai-san, it's nice to see you," the chunin instructor says pleasantly.

"You as well, Iruka-san! Your students seem to be doing, ah, well."

Iruka nods, a slight blush of embarrassment coating his cheeks. "Yes. They are young still. But I hope they will improve at throwing soon."

Gai's eyes are back on the small girl in the thick of students. She has unloaded what seems to be a whole set of kunai into the target, crowding the center. Patiently, she waits with arms crossed for the rest of her classmates to finish. "Who is that?" Gai asks, pointing her out with a nod.

Iruka looks to where Gai is pointing and releases a small chuckle. "Ah. Her name is Tenten."

"Tenten," Gai muses, rubbing his chin. He raises one impressed eyebrow. "She's a good shot."

"The best," Iruka agrees.

Gai looks to where the students have expended their arsenal and are now retrieving their ninja tools from the targets. Tenten tugs out her kunai from the bullseye with a strong, sure arm. She crouches, briefly, by the target's wooden stand and holds up one of her classmates' kunai, her mouth moving in silent comment. Her classmate, a boy with glasses, takes the offered kunai and takes one step back from the target, falling into his throwing stance. Tenten sits back on her heels, watching him. She speaks again, and her classmate adjusts himself. When she nods, he throws it, the kunai whizzing past Tenten's head to hit squarely, just off-center, of the bullseye. Smiling, Tenten tugs it out and hands it back to him.

Gai never forgets that witnessed moment.

Tenten, in most respects, is fairly straightforward. Her goals revolve around being the best and proving herself as such, both core tenets of their formation in Team Gai. She does not mince words like her other teammates and can be unnecessarily blunt at times. She is prone to complaining when things take too long, having a vein of impatience that only seems to worsen as she gets older. She is unendingly resourceful; in fact, in one of Gai's many survival tests in their first few months as genin, she takes the lead in most of the tasks, ordering around the boys as she shows them how to build fires and construct shelters.

But she is a private person and rarely emotional, even exceeding Neji. At their first team meeting, when Gai asks after his three students' respective families, Tenten had waited until Gai directly asked her. Naturally, Lee had gone first, extolling his deep love for his family and clan, though none of them ever amounted to much after Academy schooling. It is clear to Gai that Neji wants to go last, but upon noting Tenten's tight-lipped visage, Gai had prompted him to proceed next. Neji sighs and obliges, explaining that he is a branch member of the Hyuga clan, though, in outstanding arrogance for a twelve-year-old, proclaims he could best any main house members in combat.

"And you, Tenten?" Gai asks when Neji finishes, studying the way the girl fidgets with the shuriken in her hand.

Tenten's mouth thins, but steeling herself, says, "I live alone. My—Baachan and Jiichan used to take care of me. They died a couple of years ago." And that is all she deigns to share.

Gai leaves that first team meeting slightly disconcerted, wondering over the young girl he has been placed in charge of.

A few weeks after this, following another rocky team practice, Gai pays the Third a visit. The Hokage is doing paperwork, as usual, but breathes a raspy sigh of relief when Gai enters. "Ah, Gai. How are things going with your new genin team?"

Gai bows his head and sets a hand on his hip, flashing the Third a confident smile. "Well, Hokage-sama. They will undoubtedly be strong, youthful shinobi for the village!"

The Third smiles thinly and nods. "That is nice to hear. One of your students—Lee—he has taken after your footsteps, is that right?"

"Yes, he has little talent for ninjutsu or genjutsu. He is training very hard to be a taijutsu user like me."

"And the Hyuga boy?"

Gai's face darkens briefly. "Neji is . . . very strong, of course. But his idealism is. . ."

The Third frowns, folding his hands together. "Yes. The Hyuga, though they are the strongest clan in the village, have done many harms to their own children." He briefly shakes his head. "But what is an old man like me to do about it?"

Gai dislikes the resigned tone in the Hokage's voice but does not comment. With a sharp glance, the Third prompts, "And Tenten?"

Gai mulls over his response, unsure of what to say. He has only been a genin teacher for a handful of weeks, but already he can pick out his students' strengths and weaknesses. Lee excels in resolve but struggles with self-worth, which Gai had known already. Neji often chooses to forego teamwork in an effort to accomplish things on his own terms, but is not so prideful as to abandon his teammates. But Tenten. . .

"She will be a very talented kunoichi, with her bukijutsu. One of a kind. However, she has thoughts of becoming a medic-nin, though her chakra control is lacking." Gai shakes his head. "I am not sure yet, what path she will take."

The Third eyes him. "Watch over her carefully, Gai."

Gai's forehead creases with a frown. "I will. But, Hokage-sama, why—?"

The Hokage smiles, a little sad. "She is a lonely little girl. I would like her to know she is loved."

It is then that Maito Gai makes another solemn vow, burning with resolve: to treat Tenten as he would his own daughter, to nurture her talents and to celebrate her triumphs. It is the first time Gai has felt such a strong urge to protect, outside the commitment he has to the village and his own friends.

He holds up a thumb and announces thunderously, "I will make sure of it, Hokage-sama."

* * *

The first test of his promise ironically comes only a handful of months after his students' Academy graduation. It is an early winter morning, the air crisp with chill, as Gai steps out of his home to do a simple two hundred laps around the village as a warm-up. He is surprised to see that Neji is waiting for him, leaning against the railing of the stairs. There are dark shadows beneath the young Hyuga's eyes.

"Good morning, Neji," Gai greets, curious. "Here to join me for my run?"

Neji gives a quick shake of his head, a flash of annoyance crossing his face. "No." Neji pauses uncertainly. Gai waits for him to elaborate, unsure of what it is that could have led Neji out to confront him so early in the morning.

Gai watches his student pluck up his courage and steel himself, straightening. Neji says carefully, "Sensei, I found something about . . . Tenten. I think."

Gai blinks and raises an eyebrow in bewilderment. He steps aside and gestures for Neji to follow him back inside. Within the apartment, Neji's discomfort is even more apparent. He sits on the edge of Gai's sofa as Gai looks on, arms crossed as he waits. He watches as Neji presses his lips together, his hands wrapping tightly around his knees. Finally, in a low breath, Neji says, "I . . . was reading one of the books in the clan library. I came across a journal. . ."

Gai listens to Neji's entire confession without interrupting. When he finishes, Neji darts a hopeful glance to his sensei. "What should I do?" he asks.

"Could you bring the book here? For me to read myself?"

Neji shakes his head. "It is . . . forbidden to anyone not a Hyuga. I wasn't even supposed to be in there. It belongs to the main house and. . ." He trails off, face pinching with displeasure. "I would get in trouble if my uncle knew I'd been looking around."

Not for the first time, Gai mentally curses the Hyuga's arcane traditions. He stares at his student, unable to stomach the lack of freedom the boy has—and how it has made him far more bitter than anyone should be at his age.

"Never mind," Gai says. He mulls over what Neji has told him for a brief moment and thinks of Tenten. She has a steady way of approaching things—resorting to research more often than jumping headfirst into trouble. Aside from the mention she had made of her caretakers, Tenten had said little else of her past, other than she was brought to live in the village as a young child. _Perhaps there is a reason for that_ , Gai muses, stroking his chin.

"Leave it be for now," Gai commands. "I have never heard of the things you have mentioned, and it would take time to look into. I see no reason to mention it to Tenten without substantial evidence."

Neji nods and gets to his feet, the tension in his shoulders loosening somewhat. Before he can place his hand on the door to leave, Neji glances back and asks, "You don't think she'll mind? Us keeping it from her?"

"It is our duty to protect her. If Tenten does not agree with our decision, we will blame it on me," Gai reassures. "This is a sensitive matter—it should remain private between us, Neji. We should not mention it to anyone, even Lee."

Neji hesitates but concedes with a tilt of his head. Gai stops him before he can leave. "Join me for my run, won't you, Neji?"

Begrudgingly, Neji obliges, seeing no way to refuse politely.

* * *

Gai blinks and his charges are sixteen. He hates it a little, the way time slips by like a particularly powerful genjutsu, leaving him disoriented. Neji and Tenten are slowly edging out of their phase of constant bickering, making efforts to be civil. Lee is a brightly shining beacon for taijutsu users everywhere, progressing in leaps and bounds. They are no longer children. It is a great disappointment.

One evening, they all sit in Gai's living room, rolling their packs in preparation for the next day's mission. Neji is reading their mission details aloud from the scroll they'd obtained from the Fifth Hokage. Tenten interrupts, and mutters, seemingly to herself, "This has to be a seduction mission."

Neji pauses and looks up at her, an unpleasant crease forming across his features. Lee is instantly indignant: "Surely not! We can achieve mission success without using you in that capacity, Tenten!"

"You heard the mission details. It's a kunoichi's operation," Tenten says blandly. Her fingers are pressing, ever so lightly, along the edge of a senbon she is cleaning. She shrugs, as if it doesn't matter.

It makes a lead weight drop in Gai's stomach. He declares, without a second thought, "Tenten is right! But who better to take on such a difficult task than your own sensei?"

Neji and Tenten gape at him; Lee considers Gai with slight confusion. Lee ventures, needing clarification, "Gai-sensei, do you mean that you will—"

"Yes, Lee!" Gai proclaims. "I will seduce our target while you three disable his associates and find the factory where he makes his counterfeits."

Tenten's mouth thins with disapproval. She says, attempting to reason with him, "Gai-sensei, no offense, but I've trained on how to do missions like these. I'll have much better luck—"

Gai raises his chin in slight challenge. "Ah," he says. "You and Neji think I cannot do it because I am a man."

Neji shakes his head in exasperation, sighing. Tenten bluntly answers, "Yes, that's why."

"Do not worry, Tenten," Gai says, releasing his winning smile. "The target won't stand a chance against my charms."

Tenten's disapproval settles fully on her face. She asks pointedly, "And how do you expect to do that, sensei?"

Gai grins. "I am a master of disguise," he assures her with a waggle of his thick eyebrows. Though Tenten scoffs and rolls her eyes, Gai does not miss the relief that floods her expression.

* * *

A few months before the Allied Forces are assembled to fight Akatsuki, Gai and Tenten are soaking up one of the last real days of summer before the leaves begin to change. Neji and Lee are sparring a few feet away, though Tenten had long ago lost interest, sleepily lying on her back to stare up at the sky. Gai stands next to her, overseeing the boys' fight, but he is unusually distracted, thinking of the growing threat the Fifth had all warned them about.

From her peaceful position below, Tenten asks, "Gai-sensei, what do you think will happen? With Akatsuki?"

Gai glances down at his student. Her eyes are closed, absently twirling a kunai around her thumb. A sharp ache strikes through Gai's chest. He is worried, for once, that he will lose them—his students, his children, those that he has shared so much with. Tears flow easily down his cheeks, but Tenten does not see them, her face turned towards the warmth of the sun.

"We will be victorious," he replies with certainty.

Tenten's lips twitch with a smile. "You always say that," she mutters. "You know more than you've told us—I can tell."

So, she had seen, then. Gai glances back to Lee and Neji, watching as his protégé lands a solid kick towards Neji's jaw. Neji deflects and switches tactics, fluid as ever in his movements. Gai says, "You have nothing to worry about, Tenten. As Team Gai, we can never do worse than our best."

Tenten hums in thought. Gai is still studying Lee and Neji's fight when she finally responds, "Sensei, if I die, will you have my ashes placed with Baachan and Jiichan? I have a little money saved up, so I think I can afford it."

Gai looks at her sharply. Tenten's eyes are still shut, her mouth turned down in a slight frown. He says in a serious tone, "I will. But no harm will come to you, my dear. I promise."

"You can't guarantee that, sensei." Her voice is faint; she is clearly on the brink of a nap.

Gai waits a moment, then two. When he looks back at her again, Tenten's chest is rising in even, measured breaths. She is asleep, at last. In a soft voice, Gai answers her, a lead weight in his chest, "A promise is a promise, Tenten. You are my flesh and blood. Nothing will hurt you that does not hurt me first."

* * *

When she discovers the kunai within her caretakers' memento chest, Gai realizes that his time has run out regarding the pact he and Neji had made so long ago.

But he says nothing. He does not know why, exactly. Perhaps it is because Gai has always trusted his students, especially Tenten, to discover things for themselves. In the seven years since he'd become their sensei, Gai had never faltered to encourage them to exercise self-reliance. While he stressed interdependence within their team, Gai could not easily dismiss the strong desire to temper his students towards autonomy.

Out of all of them, Tenten took to this instruction the easiest. And so, when she shows up at his door, claiming that she has found a map leading to the Land of Whirlpools, eyes bright with the possibilities, Gai cannot find it within himself to disappoint her.

 _She may find what she's looking for anyway_ , Gai thinks as they race up to Kakashi's office. _There are so many unknowns._

Kakashi sneaks glances at Gai throughout Tenten's pleading explanation. He is not surprised when the Hokage grants Tenten permission to leave. She spins on her heel with an expression Gai hasn't seen in so, so long. It reminds him of her carefree younger days, mocking Neji behind his back and cheering Lee on as he completed technique after technique and joking with Gai privately where the other boys couldn't hear. He has missed her joy.

He brushes her off when she moves to take him back to his apartment, waiting until her footsteps fade before looking at Kakashi. His rival looks bemused, smirking. "Something you want to fill me in on, Gai-kun?"

Gai expertly moves his wheelchair back-and-forth. He shrugs easily. "It is her story to tell, not mine."

"But you know more than you've let on?" Kakashi prompts.

Gai smiles, moving towards the large bay of windows that look out over Konoha. It is dark now, and lights have flickered on inside homes and restaurants. A peaceful summer evening, by all accounts. He answers Kakashi, "I know enough to want to protect someone precious to me."

His eyes flick up to the faintly discernible stars lying blanketed across the night sky. Gai thinks of Tenten and beams. She is the brightest star in his universe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- A very small note on the song choice for this chapter: there is a verse that refers to "tanzaku stars", which is a reference to Tanabata. [Tanabata](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanabata) is a Japanese festival - the ["Star Festival"](https://www.nippon.com/en/features/jg00097/tanabata-star-festival.html), - that was inspired from the Chinese story "The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl". Listen to the song [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE6vs4jqXWc).
> 
> Hope this interlude gave you as many warm feelings as it did for me when I was writing it. Next Monday - we begin the journey to Uzushiogakure. Wishing everyone well, thank you for reading.


	9. Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A refresher from chapter 4: While returning her books to the library, Tenten is reminded of the destroyed ninja village, Uzushiogakure. Feeling drawn to the region, she checks out every book available on the Land of Whirlpools. Following a close reading on the nation's use of fuinjutsu, Tenten performs a release on the kunai where, to her elation, a chakra-lined map appears. Tenten races to see the Sixth with Gai, and receives permission to travel to the Land of Whirlpools with Lee and Neji. On her way to tell her teammates the news, Tenten runs into Lee while he is on his date, where she meets Mai, the girl Lee has been seeing. After she confirms Lee's willingness to go on the trip, Tenten comes across Neji while she is walking home. They resume their argument from the previous day and fight bitterly following Neji's confession that he has knowledge of what happened to Tenten's parents. This results in them exchanging blows within their training grounds. After sealing a few of her tenketsu points, Neji escorts Tenten home, where she falls asleep, exhausted.

* * *

_And if we could float away_

_Fly up to the surface and just start again_

_Lift off before trouble j_ _ust erodes us in the rain_

_Just erodes us in the rain_

_-[Us Against the World, Coldplay](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlrW3lqj3kI)_

* * *

_**\- five -** _

Tenten scrambles in the morning to gather her things for the journey. Her mind is all over the place, her fight with Neji returning to her in flashes of sharp words and metal sparks. She recalls his mouth brushing her fingers and flushes, skin prickling. _Don't think about that_ , she tells herself determinedly.

She is tired and irritable once she arrives at the village gate at dawn. Lee is dutifully waiting for her, pack strapped to his back. He is wearing a large grin, positively beaming from ear to ear. "Mai kissed me!" he shouts as Tenten comes within earshot. "It was wonderful!"

Tenten smiles, but her mind is elsewhere, still processing her conversation with Neji. Lee launches into every lucrative detail of his date from the night before, waxing poetic about Mai's hair and eyes and enthusiasm to hike Hokage Rock. "She is the one," Lee declares, slamming his fist resolutely into an open palm.

Tenten raises her eyebrows, chuckling. "Are you sure? A year ago you were still holding out hope for Sakura—"

But Lee dismisses this with a wave of his hand, saying, "Sakura-san has my utmost respect and admiration. But I have accepted that though she remains one of the most beautiful flowers in Konoha, she is not mine to smell."

Tenten winces at the analogy and moves towards the gate, nodding at Kotetsu and Izumo. The sooner she gets out of Konoha, the better. But Lee halts her before she can step out on the road. "Aren't we waiting for Neji?"

"Neji's not coming," she says over her shoulder. She can sense Lee's pause, but she doesn't explain. "Come on."

"But . . . Neji's right there?"

Tenten stops and turns to look over her shoulder, eyebrows furrowed. Much to her surprise, Lee is right. Neji is walking towards them, the early morning fog clinging to his lean form. He softly echoes Lee's 'good morning' as he approaches, before glancing at Tenten expectantly. She stares at him, too shocked to shout at him, unwilling to send him away. She whirls back to the road and wordlessly moves forward. Her heart thuds in her chest as she hears Lee and Neji follow.

* * *

They take a different path this time, headed for the edge of the Land of Fire's coast. Tenten is persistent; foregoing the usual breaks that she requests. It is well past noon when Neji finally asks, "Shall we stop and eat lunch?"

Tenten ignores him. Lee, clearly noticing the tension between them, prompts, "Tenten? Are we stopping for lunch?"

She shakes her head and pours on even more speed, flying through trees at breakneck speed. She thinks she catches Lee's questioning tones behind her, but only silence answers him. Undeterred, Lee attempts to stoke a conversation between the three of them for the rest of the day, but either Tenten answers and Neji doesn't, or vice versa, or neither say anything at all.

Lee has had enough by that evening as they all crouch in front of the fire, though it is almost too hot for one. They had arrived at the edge of the coast an hour before sunset, deciding to camp within the shade of the forest for the night rather than out in the open on the beach. After dinner, Lee abruptly stands up, brushing his hands on his jumpsuit, and eyes them. "I am going over there," he points to a sandy thicket several yards away, "to do my nightly exercise regimen while you two talk." He emphasizes the last word with a rare stern expression. Neither Tenten nor Neji have to guess at his meaning.

Tenten watches Lee sprint away and then sullenly looks back at Neji, studying him. He is rolling a twig between his fingers, staring unseeingly at the ground. She huffs in resignation and bites her lip, curling her fingers into her palms and folding them underneath her arms. In a rushed breath, she begins with forced casualness, "So, you and Gai-sensei seem to have a misguided need to protect me."

She watches Neji flick the stick into the fire, eyes still downcast. He answers pointedly, "From what I can remember of our Academy graduation, protecting and defending your teammates was part of the oath of becoming a ninja."

Tenten glares, her anger resurfacing easily after lying dormant all day. "This is different, and you know it."

"Is it?" Neji asks, briefly glancing up. Tenten absentmindedly notes that he looks tired. Neji shrugs one shoulder. "Perhaps I take it more seriously than you do."

Tenten flinches, hands squeezing her sides. She bursts out, wincing at the hurt evident in her voice, "I can't believe you! You knew about my history before I did! Why didn't you tell me?"

Neji shifts and finally looks her in the eye, unwavering. He asks, almost pleading, "What was I supposed to do, Tenten? It's your business, not mine. I felt bad enough for snooping. Would you expect me to walk up to you one day when we were twelve and ask you how you escaped—" he stops himself, jaw clenching shut.

"You _lied_ to me!" she hisses, eyes burning. "For _years_!" She grips her knees in an effort to control the energy threatening to burst out of her veins. She leans towards him, the fire hot and flickering before her. "You're my best friend and you hid something important from me!"

Neji chews on the inside of his cheek for a moment before continuing in a more subdued voice, "I didn't know anything about the Land of Hot Water. I didn't know about how you got to the Leaf village. All I knew was about the kidnapping . . . and the torture. Nothing else. You told us from the beginning you had no memory of your parents, of your life before the elderly couple. I figured—for a long time, I assumed you didn't want to talk about it. I didn't want to break that peace. So, after I found out I told Gai-sensei and then never spoke about it again." He sighs, looking exhausted. "I forgot. For a long time. And then on that mission a few weeks ago . . . it all came back."

"Tell me everything you know," Tenten demands. "Now."

Neji meets her gaze and hesitates for a long moment before nodding, once. His hands find another twig in the scraggly grass; he turns it over and over in deep thought. Slowly, he begins, "I found a . . . book. In the Hyuga library. It was unpublished, more of a journal, really, about rogue ninja after the Second Ninja War. It wasn't very long, only a traveler's record of the world at that time. But there was one section that stood out to me when I read it. . ." Neji trails off, eyes darting to Tenten. She gives a limp nod for him to continue. Neji breathes deeply, one of his meditation breaths, to keep his mind clear.

He goes on, "There was a group of . . . mercenaries that were fascinated by the jutsu of other nations and clans. They were obsessed with different jutsu and the chakra of other ninja. They had an idea to gather the strongest of those jutsu users and to create a specialized ninja class—an army for hire—that would be unbeatable. You remember, I'm sure, from our Academy classes how tumultuous the world was then. But . . . the rogue ninja had issue with convincing other jutsu users to join them—the war had made people mistrustful of outsiders, and the mercenaries' talk of dominating others made most skeptical. When it became clear that their recruitment strategies weren't working, they resorted to achieving their ideals by force." Neji snaps the twig in his hands, gazing at the fire. He tosses one half into the flames. "Those that were unwilling, they sealed with a juinjutsu."

Tenten winces, recalling what Neji had mentioned moments ago. "They kidnapped ninja from other villages?"

Neji nods, absently digging with the other splintered end into the sand at his feet. "As you can imagine, most didn't go quietly until the cursed seal was applied."

"So, you think that's what happened to my parents? They were kidnapped from Uzushiogakure?"

Neji swallows, refusing to respond for a long while. Finally, he says softly, "The person who wrote the journal apparently visited with these rogue ninjas; they even let him interview some of their prisoners. In an attempt to gain better notoriety, they wanted to use him for propaganda." Neji halts briefly and casts the remaining stick into the embers, looking up at Tenten. "He interviewed a couple that were from Whirlpools. Apparently, they were taken in the period between the Second and Third Shinobi Wars, when peace was still uncertain. The man was a weapons-maker that used fuinjutsu to seal chakra inside his creations. He had left Whirlpools to further his craft, but his unique use of jutsu caught the mercenaries' notice, and they imprisoned him to try to extract the secrets of Whirlpools' fuinjutsu. The village had been destroyed by that time—I assume the missing-nin were enticed by the couple's ties to such a secretive nation."

Tenten's brow furrows in confusion. She says carefully, "It could be a coincidence—"

Neji shakes his head. "The couple had a child while in captivity. A daughter." He takes a breath, then says softly, "She was only a few months old at the time of their interview."

A shiver runs down Tenten's spine. Unbidden, tears prick her eyes. "What did they do to them? The couple?" she asks.

"They were tortured. The journal's author. . . Well, the mercenaries weren't shy in demonstrating their juinjutsu. It was apparently very painful, from what I can remember of the descriptions."

Tenten presses her fingers to her eyes as her cheeks grow wet, holding back the sob in her throat. _What is wrong with me?_ she wonders. "Where is that book now?" Tenten asks breathlessly, desperate to see any shred of evidence of a life that she had lived before Konoha, before being forsaken on that beach in the Land of Hot Water.

Neji gives her a pained look. "When we were fourteen, my uncle had the library cleaned out. Some of the books were donated to the archive library, but most were destroyed. I didn't think of it at the time. . . But a few weeks ago, after you had that vision in Hot Water, I went to see if I could find it again. It wasn't there." He frowns. "I think it was lost long ago, and unfortunately, I believe it was the only one of its kind."

"You don't remember anything else? The author didn't say what happened to them?" she presses. "He didn't say anything about how they got to that beach?"

Neji shakes his head, looking morose. "The writer . . . he left them behind. He never wrote down what happened to any of them—the missing-nin or their captives. I've—I tried looking for the group and the writer in other spots, but I haven't been able to find anything."

Tenten is quiet for a long moment, face red from crying. "I don't remember," she mumbles. "I don't . . . I don't remember anything."

Neji considers this, gaze trained on the slowly dying fire. "I've only guessed at how they escaped—maybe they had a fuinjutsu that still remained a secret, which they used to get away. Maybe the rogue ninja let them go." He shakes his head, as if he didn't agree with his own estimation. "In any case, they escaped and made their way to that beach; I'm assuming they were going to return to Uzushiogakure. But they must have known it had been destroyed by then. . . I don't know why they would go back."

Tenten shifts, wrapping her arms around her legs, placing her chin on her knees. Every inch of her skin feels raw, as if she'd been peeling layers off until she'd finally gotten to the vulnerable pink muscle underneath.

Neji continues, words heavy with bewilderment, "Maybe they borrowed a boat and it capsized. Maybe they tried to cross by using another ninjutsu. But I can't seem to understand why they left you behind."

"They didn't." Tenten squeezes her legs tighter, hearing her words as if from a far distance, "They drowned. I did too—well, almost."

She can feel Neji staring at her, but she avoids his eyes, recalling her anxiety-filled battle with water for so many years, and the dream she'd had only a couple of weeks before, the vision that had come before it. She murmurs, "I ended up on the shore, and some fishermen must have found me. I was holding a kunai—they must have thought I belonged to the Leaf village. Maybe they saw the Whirlpools symbol and it reminded them of Konoha. So that's where they took me." Tenten presses the heels of her hands into her eyes, feeling a headache muster like storm clouds.

Neji lets her sit for a while in silence, the only sound being the dying fire and Lee's energetic echoes from a few yards away. Tenten mulls over all that she has learned, and finds her anger has extinguished, like the dying embers of their campfire. She is only left with a bone-deep exhaustion, an aching for a history, a family, she has no memory of and now, never would.

"Tenten."

His tone of voice draws her eyes up. Neji is looking at her unguarded, his usual impassive expression discarded for something tender and beseeching. It makes Tenten's chest hurt. He opens his mouth, and then seems to second-guess himself before pushing forward, "I'm sorry. You . . . you were right. About everything. I . . . I only wanted to spare you pain. But I won't hide things from you anymore. I promise."

Shakily, Tenten gets to her feet, breath short in her lungs as she moves towards him. Neji stands, arms awkwardly outstretched. Tenten folds an arm around Neji's shoulders, pressing her face into his chest. "I'm sorry," she mutters, "for fighting with you so much."

There is a pause; Tenten feels Neji's heart stutter, then he is loosely sliding his arm around her back, hand clutching her waist. "You had a good reason," he replies, voice rumbling through her cheek.

They stand like that for a moment before a gasp carries across the beach. Seconds later, two strong arms are surrounding them, a hard body pressing them all closer together. Tenten feels Neji stiffen, and she can only begin to imagine his look of irritation as Lee squeezes them, vice-like. She stifles a wet chuckle. "Team Gai is whole again," Lee says, his voice emotional.

Neji scoffs, muttering something unintelligible, but Tenten sucks in a hard breath, urging back the tears that had sprung to her eyes.

* * *

Tenten is charged to sleep the full night without taking a watch, though she protests against Lee and Neji's insistence, stating she's too anxious to get any rest. But she loses the argument soundly, both boys threatening to add another day to their journey if she continues to refuse. As she lays down on her bedroll, gazing misty-eyed up at the starry, summer sky, her consciousness almost immediately drifts away. At her next awareness, it is a bright blue morning, the tang of ocean salt on the back of her tongue.

She sits up, her hair a fussy mess at the back of her neck. She inhales deeply the smell of another fire and briny fish. Lee is crouched over the fire, carefully focused on the fish's progress, but he spares Tenten an easy grin. "Good morning," he says brightly.

"Who caught the fish?" Tenten asks curiously.

"Neji. He's over there, seeing if he can find another one." Lee inclines his head to the edge of the beach.

Tenten turns her head to see Neji's back facing her, shirt off, pant legs pushed up to above his knees, standing in the ocean as he searches for an addition to their breakfast. She faces back to Lee quickly, clearing her throat as a blush thickens across her cheeks. Lee pretends not to notice, but Tenten can still detect the knowing smirk lurking at the corner of his mouth.

A half hour later Neji returns, clothed once more, having caught only one additional fish for the three of them to share. Tenten volunteers to clean it and sets to work, anxious to do something with her fidgety hands, conjuring a knife from her scroll in a poof of smoke to rid the fish of its scales.

As she works, Lee asks, "This map that we are following . . . do we know its destination?"

Tenten gives a jerk of her head in answer, cleaning her knife with a section of her shirt. "It leads to Uzushiogakure. That's all I know."

"May I see it?" Neji says.

Wordlessly, Tenten withdraws the tool and holds it out to him. Neji runs his fingers over it, activating his Byakugan to trace the latent lines of chakra. "It responded to your touch?" he asks Tenten.

She nods, handing the cleaned fish to Lee for cooking. "After I unsealed it." She pauses, remembering when she had first shown Neji the kunai in their training grounds, over two weeks ago. She presses her lips together as she realizes he had detected the chakra signature then, had known there was something being concealed within the metal.

Tenten feels his gaze and looks up. His Byakugan has melted away, his calm, pale eyes contrite. Another apology is on his lips—she can see it, but Tenten shakes her head in dismissal. Frowning, Neji hands her back the kunai and says nothing.

Misreading the quiet in the air, Lee says promptly, "Neji told me everything last night, Tenten, while you were sleeping. I am sorry for your loss."

Ah, so that answers her other question. Tenten sighs and squats in front of the fire, watching the fish brown under Lee's expert cooking. "Thanks, Lee."

"For what it is worth, you have always been my sister, and you always will be," Lee says factually.

Tenten's heart clenches in gratitude. Tears swim in her eyes, threatening to fall again; she shuts her eyelids tightly for a brief moment. "Thank you, Lee," she whispers.

Their breakfast is eaten in contented quiet, with Lee interjecting every few minutes to comment on the benefits of exercise on sand or to wonder aloud at their approach into the forgotten Land of Whirlpools.

"We could find a boat," Tenten supplies, not optimistic. There were no fishing villages on this remote section of beach that she had seen.

"If we found one, it would still extend our journey," Neji says.

Lee is thoughtfully considering the water as he says, "What about the Water Surface Walking technique?"

Tenten feels Neji's gaze move to her, silently asking permission. She sighs, not liking the prospect. "As long as we go fast," she conditions. "I don't think I could stomach being out on the water all day."

In agreement, they decamp and make for the beach, Tenten pushing down her rising nervousness as they draw up to the beach's edge. Neji goes first, channeling chakra to his feet to stand on top of the mild waves. She and Lee watch as he steps farther out onto the sea. Satisfied, he looks at them over his shoulder and gives a brief nod. Lee joins Neji, and Tenten follows, sighing.

* * *

It is not so bad once they begin moving. As long as Tenten keeps her chakra flow steady and does not spend too much time looking down into the dark ocean depths, she feels fine, apart from a mild queasiness. Lee heads their three-man formation, speeding across the waves as if it is a race. Neji sticks close to Tenten, darting glances at her every few minutes.

In an attempt to break the awkwardness that had settled between them at breakfast, she calls out to him, "Why didn't you tell Lee? When you found out?"

Neji takes a moment to answer, long enough that Tenten wonders if he heard her. But then he says, not loud enough for Lee to overhear, "You know he doesn't keep secrets. He would have insisted that we tell you, no matter if there was enough evidence or not. And Gai-sensei asked me not to."

"He's a better friend," Tenten scoffs.

Reservedly, Neji responds, "Maybe he is."

"Hey, you two!" Lee calls ahead of them. Tenten can see that he has put even more distance between them, surging forward. "Keep up!"

Begrudgingly, Tenten keeps her eye on the horizon and goes faster.

They pick out the beginnings of a shoreline just after midday. Neji sees it first, pointing wordlessly ahead, while Lee lets out an excited whoop. Tenten tiredly wipes a hand across her forehead, clearing it of sweat. The heat had only gotten more sweltering as the day went on; the reflection off the water near-blinding.

Tenten squints at the strip of land and estimates, "It will probably take us another hour, at least." Lee and Neji nod in acknowledgment, racing across the waves in silence.

As they move closer to shore, Tenten's mind begins to wander, searching for something that looks or feels familiar. Realistically, she knows she hasn't been to the Land of Whirlpools before, but part of her still wonders if she will recognize anything. Her heart hammers as they cross the last bit of ocean. The waves are calm, lapping the pale beach with white foam. If Tenten hadn't known any better, she would have thought the beach looked almost like paradise instead of the edge of a tragedy mentioned by her history books.

It is a reprieve to step on dry land after traveling on rolling waves. Tenten breathes a sigh of relief as her shoes dig into the sand. Lee spots a crab and points it out, giving it a brief chase in curiosity. She takes two steps up the sandy embankment when her stomach knots, sending a surge of bile to the back of her throat. She sinks onto the sand in a crouch; Neji's footing falters as he stoops with her. Her eyesight is blurring at the edges, flashes of another life pulling at her consciousness.

"Ten?" Neji murmurs into her ear, holding her close to his side. "Tenten."

From a few feet away, Tenten distantly hears Lee say, "Mr. Crab, do you— Neji? Tenten, what's wrong?" She feels Neji squeeze her shoulder in concern, and then she is gone, lost to memory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- [ Juinjutsu/Cursed Seals](https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/Juinjutsu)  
> \- [ Water Surface Walking Technique](https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/Water_Surface_Walking_Practice)
> 
> Sorry for the cliffhanger - it would have been too long and overwhelming to do 5 and 6 as one chapter, like I originally planned. Hope you enjoyed anyway!


	10. Interlude Five

* * *

_Anything you feel, put it all on me_

_Your fears and your thoughts, give me all of it_

_And when you get sad, like you do sometimes_

_Put it all on me_

_-[All You Need to Know, Gryffin with SLANDER & Calle Lehmann](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-STI5eZFfw)_

* * *

_**\- interlude five: lee -** _

Lee is considered a late bloomer in almost all respects except for this: at the ripe age of fourteen and a half, puberty hits him at full force.

At first, it is uncomfortable, like most new things are. The new surge of hair, ah, _everywhere_ , is . . . disconcerting, as are the pustules that crop up on his face and back and neck. But Lee confronts these new changes like he does all challenges: with resilient optimism.

Fondly, Lee remembers the day his voice finally cracked, and a new, more manly voice emerges. It makes Lee feel he has finally reached irresistibility, and that Haruno Sakura is bound to soon be his. When he tells his teammates this, Tenten laughs and says, "I think you still have some competition to beat out before then, Lee."

He is teased mercilessly by his older cousins for his undue excitement over his body's changes, laughed at behind hands from his aunts and uncles. But Lee does not care in the slightest. Nearly a year prior, Gai-sensei had begun explaining these things to Lee in private, usually during their intensive taijutsu training sessions. It was beautiful, the way Gai-sensei talked of adolescence—like it was the bright and youthful beginning to something breathtaking and wonderful.

As for his rival, Neji seems to find the "blooming of youth" to be less than impressive. Whilst Lee is showing him his newly sprouted chest hair one particular morning that spring, Neji turns away in overt disgust. Lee's only explanation for this somewhat cold response is that his teammate, though a genius, is also evidently envious.

* * *

The following year, at fifteen, Lee has grown into a gangly young man, all long limbs and elbows. The green jumpsuit has only helped to exacerbate this condition. He shoots past Neji and Tenten in height and is delighted to now be eye-level with Gai-sensei. He is strong, and though a little awkward, Lee is generally the leanest and most energetic of their three-man team.

Neji, though dedicated, is primarily concerned in executing techniques with perfected precision, rather than gaining bulk or strength, and Tenten, despite her ingenuity, could be undeniably lazy sometimes, especially when they lagged between missions. Feeling mature in his new, albeit pimply, skin, Lee makes a personal vow to assist his teammates with the challenging demands of young adulthood. They rebuff him constantly. However, Lee is nothing if not determined, doing his best to encourage his teammates on to greater heights, not only physically, but emotionally as well. Which is why, in the autumn of their fifteenth year, Lee begins frequently dropping by his teammates' respective homes to form even deeper bonds.

The Hyuga grounds are a peaceful place to visit, and Lee likes going there to chat with Neji, despite his friend's increased moodiness of late. Sometimes, Neji even invites him to meditate in one of the many gardens contained within the clan's walls. On such an occasion, one fall afternoon, Lee strolls through the Hyuga clan gate, waving enthusiastically to his teammate, who stands waiting for him just past the entrance. "Good afternoon, Neji! I am excited to join you today for meditation!" Lee glances around, clearly looking for their female comrade. "Where is Tenten?"

"I didn't invite her," Neji explains. "It's only us today."

Lee nods gamely, though he studies Neji for some sort of clue to his reasoning. But Neji says nothing and turns away, leading Lee down a well-trod path to a garden they have visited many times before for meditation purposes. Neji is not successful at hiding the lingering blush on his cheeks; Lee notices but says nothing. _Ah_ , he thinks to himself. _So it is as I thought._

In Lee's private opinion, Neji had done a fairly poor job at hiding his affection for Tenten. He had never attempted to approach why exactly Neji wanted to hide such a thing; their team had always operated best off honesty and transparency. Neji himself was prone to lecture them when they performed mission tasks to emphasize clear communication, even if the information was undesirable, stressing that teamwork relied on the absence of pride—a vicious break from who Neji had been in their early genin days. He'd become more encouraging, like Gai-sensei, in that respect.

But this, for whatever reason, Neji hid away. Lee would catch him, sometimes, while on mission or during team lunches or dinners, gazing at Tenten while she ate or talked or worked on her weapons like she was the only point of light in the room. It made Lee's heart warm, seeing the rote attachment that soared across Neji's face, his eyes softening at the edges, his mouth pressed together in a manner that Lee read as contentment.

Tenten, however, failed to notice this particular attention, at least to Lee's naked eye. He had thought about mentioning it to her several times, by pointing out Neji's preference for her company, or the way he looked at her, but Lee let himself be dissuaded. Tenten was forthright by nature, but she could be shy when it came to displays of emotion, preferring to hold back until she was alone. Lee could count on one hand the number of times he'd seen Tenten cry. He had always assumed this level of self-preservation resulted from not being taken seriously during their Academy days, but he had no real way of knowing.

Lee remembers one particular instance distinctly. Once, when they were twelve, right on the cusp of Tenten's thirteenth birthday, she had cried on a rescue mission. An advisor to the Land of Fire's daimyo had kidnapped his grandson, a small little boy, barely over the age of five. The advisor had recently been fired for insubordination due to a disagreement with the daimyo on land distributions. Team Gai's task had been to locate the child and the advisor and deliver both back to the daimyo—the child into the care of his grandfather, the advisor for punishment. When they finally found the boy and his kidnapper, holed up in a cave near the border shared with Kusagakure, the child was listless, not having been given a proper meal over the span of two days.

The advisor was easily dispatched, being a soft sort of person, too consumed with his philosophies to put up any real fight against four well-trained ninja. Once he was tied up, Tenten had taken one look at the little boy, gathered him in her arms, and did not say a word the entire way back to the daimyo's palace. They deposited both prisoner and child into the daimyo's care and departed. That evening, as they all sat by the fire in subdued quiet, Lee had noticed the silent tears falling from Tenten's eyes. He had asked her, gently, what was wrong. Her hands and jaw clenched, she'd responded simply, in an even tone of voice, "I wish I could have killed the bastard."

It is a memory that never leaves him.

Within the Hyuga grounds, the trees have begun to let go of their leaves, bidding goodbye for the season. The small reflecting pool is obscured by the clutter of orange and red leaves that drift in the autumn breeze. Neji seems distracted as he and Lee sit opposite the water, gaze lifting to the sky, then back down to the pool.

"Is something on your mind, Neji?" Lee prompts.

Neji is silent for so long that at first, Lee assumes he is not going to answer. But eventually, his teammate says under his breath, "Your . . . crush on Sakura . . . have you ever wished it would go away?"

Lee had not been expecting this from Neji but seizes the opportunity. Lee knows Neji well enough that if he responds with his usual boisterous excitement it will be too much for his teammate, so he carefully responds, "Sometimes I wish Sakura-san would notice me rather than focusing on other boys. But then I remind myself that she is free to make her own romantic choices; I choose to admire her anyway, even if she will never return my affection."

Neji frowns at this, though Lee is uncertain over what could have been misconstrued. He asks, "Is there someone you have a crush on, Neji?"

Neji looks up sharply, eyes narrowed. He gives a quick jerk of his head, tone easily becoming irritable. "Of course not. I . . . was referring to Hinata-sama and her crush on Naruto."

Lee leans back on his hands and gazes at the maple trees in this area of the grounds. They are a glowing, deep reddish-yellow, speckled with lingering tinges of green. Neji picks up the conversation again a moment later, drawing Lee's attention back. "I don't want her to be disappointed—if he does not have the same sentiment."

Lee can see through this front, but decides to let Neji have his anonymity, happy that he is sharing such a personal thing voluntarily. Lee plucks one of the fallen leaves from the surface of the pool and holds it up for speculation. He says, twisting the stem between his fingers, "Perhaps he will someday, you never know. I still hold a candle for Sakura-san, though everyone told me to give up years ago."

"Why haven't you?" Neji asks.

"It is worth it to me to wait if in the end she will like me back."

"But what if she doesn't?"

Lee considers this, wondering how to make Neji understand. "Then I will move on." Lee shrugs. "It may hurt, if she rejects me, but part of caring for someone is accepting that risk—that they will not care about you in return. If it is real—if the love is real, you must come to the understanding that the other person does not belong to you, to hold them with an open hand. At the end of the day, we can only belong to ourselves." He mulls over Neji's original question. "It is selfish, I think, to keep such a love to yourself. It should be shared with the person in a way that does not make them uncomfortable, but lets them know their value, all the same."

Neji has reached out and captured his own leaf. It lies in his open palm, dark red, like a wound. "I'm sure . . . Hinata-sama would rather not have a crush. It is a burdensome thing to carry in your heart."

Lee smiles, closed-lipped. "She has hope still," Lee says. "Naruto will return soon, and then she will have her chance."

Neji only gives a disgruntled sigh.

* * *

A year later, when they are sixteen, Tenten is unexpectedly asked on a date by a ninja who had been a year ahead of them in the Academy. He is on Konoha's police force, possessing a jovial, boyish face, and an all-around likeable personality. Tenten, completely bewildered, accepts.

Neji is livid. Lee can see it settling onto his shoulders the moment Tenten awkwardly announces this development at one of their weekly team dinners, her cheeks flooding with embarrassment.

While Gai-sensei lauds her for her youthfulness and cautions her in the ways of romance, Lee watches the range of emotions that flicker through Neji's eyes. To any passersby, Neji would appear to only be half-listening as his sensei chatters on, eyes focused on the meal in front of him. But Lee has known Neji intimately for almost four years at this point and has become a close expert at reading him. His teammate is angry, confusingly so, mouth tight in disappointment. Lee remembers their conversation from almost a year prior and does not have to guess at what it is that is bothering him.

Tenten endures Gai-sensei's advice for almost ten minutes before changing the subject, face burning in humiliation. Lee forces himself to be present in the conversation, though he can sense the growing thundercloud around Neji's person. It is not long before Tenten excuses herself from dinner, her brown eyes faraway in her thoughts. She distractedly bids the three boys goodbye and walks home alone.

Lee can tell Gai-sensei has noticed Neji's heavy quiet, but he says nothing, waving at his two pupils before stating he has challenged Kakashi to yet another challenge and needs to prepare. Lee and Neji are left alone, standing outside the restaurant. Lee is about to suggest they go for a run, or even have a spar, though he dislikes exercising right after eating, but to his surprise, Neji speaks first. "I can't believe she would agree to go on a date with someone she doesn't even know."

Lee raises his eyebrows, slightly uncomfortable with the jealousy in Neji's tone. Lee says genially, "Why not? Part of a date is getting to know someone better."

But Neji does not seem happy with this either. "What more is there to know?" he says rhetorically, heading off towards the Hyuga compound with quick steps. "He's a flat-faced, mediocre ninja who guards a wall all day. He's not nearly interesting enough to make Tenten like him."

Lee keeps stride with Neji as they walk down the street, unsure of how his friend will take his criticism. "You do not know that, Neji. Maybe Tenten will like him."

Neji looks briefly revolted, before his face shifts again into barely concealed disapproval. "If she does, then she's not the girl I thought she was."

Lee pauses at this, caught off guard by Neji's sharpness. In a firmer tone, Lee replies, "It is not fair of you to say that about our friend. She can go on dates with who she wants. Why are you upset?"

Neji's face darkens. "I'm not," he snaps. "I just think _she_ is being ridiculous." And with that, he flash-steps away, leaving Lee behind.

Two days later, Lee is doing his usual morning run around the village when he comes across Tenten in one of the training grounds on the outskirts. By the look of things, she'd unloaded her arsenal on a slew of trees, bark scarred and severed by a load of weapons. Lee pauses as he views his teammate surge forward, unspooling yet another scroll as her chest heaves with exertion, mouth thin in displeasure. He waits, jogging in place, until her scroll is empty and it is safe to approach. She begins, before he can even ask, "He is such an asshole."

Lee does not need to guess who she is referring to, but he says anyway, "Who, Tenten?"

"Hyuga Neji." She spits his name out like it is a particularly disappointing, unspicy curry. She is holding a kusari loosely in her hand. She gives it an expert swing above her head (causing Lee to take a quick step back) and lets it soar through the air; it wraps around a nearby tree limb with a _chink!_

Lee asks slowly, "What did he say?"

Tenten grumpily drops to the ground, ripping out a tuft of grass that she quickly shreds to pieces. "He had the _audacity_ to tell me that I was no better than one of the _pre-teens_ at the Academy, going on a date with Takeshi-san. Can you _believe_ that?"

Lee sinks down beside her, crossing his legs as he analyzes the skewered trees from afar. "Why did he say that, do you think?" he questions.

Tenten tosses the torn grass onto the ground beside her, brushes her hands off irritably. "You mean why is he such an asshole? Hell, if I know. I've been asking myself that for years."

Lee ponders on hinting at Neji's feelings, but decides against it, sighing. The last few months had been rife with growing pains in their team—with Neji and Lee experiencing another growth spurt, and Tenten developing hips and a sharp, quippish attitude. Lately, in a surprising turn of events, Neji and Tenten could not seem to go more than a few days without an argument of some sort. Gai-sensei was constantly intervening between them, with Lee watching from the sidelines, offering peacekeeping advice (though it is largely dismissed by his two other teammates). Lee chalks it up to hormones.

Sighing, he says, "Maybe he is concerned."

Tenten snorts unbecomingly. "He has a funny way of showing it. He's acting like an overprotective older brother."

Lee hides a faint smile by turning his head. "We are your teammates; we are like family. His approach is misguided, perhaps, but his heart is in the right place."

Tenten withdraws a shuriken and tosses it in the air, catching it deftly over and over. Distantly, she mutters, "It's not like I had a great time, anyway. I mean, Takeshi-san was nice and all, I just. . ." She trails off, slinging the shuriken faster and faster until it is a blur. She shakes her head. "I'm not going out with him again. Too much trouble."

Lee considers this. "You are not compatible?" he asks.

Tenten half-shrugs. "We're both ninja. But . . . he was a little boring. Nice, but uninteresting." She snatches the shuriken out of the air and thoughtfully turns the weapon in her hand, staring at it, unseeing. "He kissed me. When he walked me home."

Lee raises his eyebrows in surprise, but Tenten does not react. It is her first kiss, and she is not even excited over it, too consumed with frustration over Neji. At an attempt to pull out some sense of optimism, Lee asks, "Was there anything you enjoyed from the date?"

Tenten thinks for a moment. "I showed him a trick with a katar. He accidentally nicked his fingernail, which was a little funny." She smiles, briefly, at the recollection. She gives a brusque shake of her head. "I don't care about dating anyway. I'm trying to figure out a new scroll technique, which is taking up all of my free time."

She proceeds to show him, rambling on through her research. Lee listens attentively, unable to help the contented smile that graces his mouth, watching Tenten explain something that she enjoys. Afterwards, Lee helps her collect her weapons. He notes that she is in a much better mood by the time they leave the grounds.

* * *

When they are seventeen, Gai-sensei takes Lee and Neji on an overnight trip to the woods. After a short exercise and a light dinner, Gai-sensei launches into the reason he has brought them out into the forest: to discuss "the birds and the bees". Lee assents to this talk with a dutiful nod, though it is Neji whom he is most concerned about.

However, Neji strangely makes no protest. His features remain dignified, the only shift being a slight, irritated twitch of his mouth. Gai-sensei himself seems surprised by Neji's response. Encouraged, he launches into the high points of sexual attraction and how these urges can be, well, managed. Lee listens attentively, but this is not very different than the previous counsel he has received from his sensei and his cousins inside his clan (though the latter's explanations were much more explicit).

As Gai-sensei concludes his speech, he darts a hopeful look to Neji and asks, "Have either of you experienced this . . . budding bloom of youth?"

Gai-sensei has addressed this question to the both of them, but it is apparent he is most interested in Neji's reply. Lee has always been vocal about his romantic fantasies, after all. Lee waits along with Gai-sensei, looking at Neji expectantly. Neji gazes back at them, almost bored. He gives a short nod but does not elaborate.

Lee is unsure if Gai-sensei is aware of how Neji feels about Tenten. Over the last year, he had watched his rival drop deeper beneath his jealousy and sulkiness until eventually emerging out of it a degree more reserved, and a great deal kinder. Lee is unsure if his advice from all those years ago had finally reinforced itself in Neji's psyche, or if another influence was responsible. Either way, Neji and Tenten increasingly fought less, often found together laughing, exchanging private jokes. Lee could see what was happening between them, had caught Tenten glancing at Neji in barely concealed wonder, and he thought perhaps, maybe, something bright and beautiful was finally blooming.

Sensing this is all he will receive from the Hyuga prodigy, Gai-sensei turns to Lee with a smile. "Lee! You have always had a very active, ah, romanticism! Is Sakura-chan still the object of your affection?"

"Yes!" Lee confirms, his chest fluttering a little at the thought of a partner like Haruno Sakura. "She is the most beautiful kunoichi in the village!"

Gai-sensei affirms this with an approving 'hm', and then turns his laser focus back to Neji to try again. "And you, Neji? Who has caught your eye?"

Neji's mouth tightens, but again, Lee is surprised his rival does not bark out an immediate refusal to answer. Instead, he takes a moment to think, eyes lowered. Quietly under his breath, he says, "I would rather not say."

Gai-sensei, clearly overjoyed at even a small push back like this, jumps to his feet, hands on his hips. "Hm! Lee! Shall we guess who Neji has set his affection on?"

Lee hesitates, darting a glance at his teammate. Neji had not anticipated this response from their sensei—his face shuts down immediately, mouth pursed. "Ah, Gai-sensei, maybe—" Lee begins, torn between wanting to safeguard Neji's privacy and please his sensei.

"Let me think," Gai-sensei says, tapping a finger to his chin in thought. "Perhaps one of Hinata-san's friends? Yamanaka Ino is very nice, hm, Neji?"

Neji winces. Gai-sensei tries again. "Or maybe Inuzuka Hana? She is a few years older, of course, but a very skilled medic?"

Neji's lips press together until they are hidden from sight. Lee decides it is time to intervene. "Gai-sensei, maybe Neji is not comfortable with sharing."

Gai-sensei darts a glance to his pupil, the idea seemingly not having occurred to him. "And why not?" he asks the two of them. "We are family, are we not? I want to help my students succeed in everything they do, even matters of romance!"

"We are grateful for your instruction, sensei!" Lee assures. "But what if the person Neji is interested in is someone we know very well?"

Lee realizes too late that he has hinted too much. Gai-sensei's eyes widen and circle back to Neji. Neji's hands close into fists, gripping his knees tightly. He will not meet Gai-sensei's gaze.

Lee gulps and bows his head. He opens his mouth to apologize, but Gai-sensei beats him to it: "Neji!" Their sensei's tone is thunderous, unforgiving. "How could you taint _our_ precious flower in such a way! You have been thinking . . . _wicked_ things about her, haven't you?!"

Neji's face turns a shade of red Lee has never seen before. He stammers out, "Gai-sensei, Neji would not—"

"Answer me, Hyuga Neji!" Gai-sensei demands. His stature has seemed to double in the last few seconds, towering above them.

Neji cannot look at them; he is staring into the forest, jaw tight. He stiffly shakes his head, but Lee can tell that he is not being entirely truthful. Unfortunately, Gai-sensei can see it as well. He takes two steps, and forces Neji to look at him, hands fisted in his student's shirt. "I would have never thought it of you, Neji! She is our most beloved girl, and you've defiled her in your mind, I can see it in your eyes!"

Neji is mortified; he shuts his eyes, unable to look at their sensei. Gai-sensei lets go of him roughly. "I am disappointed," he says over his shoulder as he turns his back. "I expected better from you."

Lee cannot hold it in any longer, pained to see Neji's love trampled as something like a boy's closeted fumbling. "Gai-sensei, Neji loves Tenten." Out of the corner of his eye, Lee can see Neji wince, but he says nothing to correct him. "Since we were genin, he's loved her," Lee continues.

Gai-sensei's back remains turned to them, though Lee thinks he can see his sensei's head shift slightly, to hear better. Feeling more confident, Lee says, "We are not genin anymore. In a few years, we will be considered adults. I have known Neji has had a crush on Tenten for years; he has never behaved inappropriately. He would never harm her intentionally."

"Matters of the heart are delicate, Lee," Gai-sensei says with a sigh. He faces them, dark eyes lingering on Neji. "You are both young, still," he tells Neji. "She is the most cherished thing in my life. I would caution you to think long and hard about that before you try anything. Because if something were to happen, if her heart were to be broken, you would have me to answer to."

Lee does not like this statement from his sensei, though he perceives the place of protection it comes from. He frowns, debating on whether to put forth his two cents. But a level of understanding has seemingly passed between sensei and student. Crossing his arms, Neji nods and says softly, "I understand, Gai-sensei."

"Good," Gai-sensei responds.

And that is that.

* * *

In the summer of their eighteenth year, a few months before they leave Konoha for the war, Lee is walking home one night from the training grounds when he spots Tenten on her balcony.

She is sitting in a wicker chair, motionless, one foot balanced precariously on the balcony railing. There is no light out except the moon, washing the evening in a shimmering white light. Her apartment is lit up behind her, warm and inviting, but it backlights Tenten's form, leaving her entirely in shadow.

Lee stands on the road for a long moment, watching her, before making up his mind. He calls out a greeting so as not to startle her, then alights lightly on her railing before stepping down. Tenten readjusts herself, tucking her legs underneath her, and lazily gestures to the other wicker chair beside her. She murmurs a soft, "Hey," then falls once again into silence, brown eyes almost black as she contemplates the night sky.

They sit in comfortable quiet for a while, Lee wondering what Tenten is thinking about, before he finally ventures to say, "Is something bothering you, Tenten?"

She frowns and Lee waits for her to speak. Eventually, Tenten says, "Do you ever wonder . . . what life would be like if you weren't a shinobi? If you were a normal civilian?"

Lee leans back in his chair, looking out over the rooftops of a moonlit Konoha. He mulls over the trades of his family, mostly farmers and vendors of various goods. His parents had always played music in their home, though as they'd gotten older, they'd stopped due to arthritic limbs. He answers, "I am not suited for a life where I cannot be a shinobi. It is my calling."

Tenten releases a small huff of laughter. "I think all shinobi would say that. I wouldn't be anyone if I didn't have my bukijutsu or fuinjutsu." She lifts her fingers to her mouth, chews on the side of her thumbnail. "We're doomed to sad lives, aren't we, Lee?" she sighs.

Lee turns to look at her in concern. With his usual optimism, he replies, "I could never have a sad life. Not when I have you and Neji and Gai-sensei. And you would be someone even without your jutsu-you would still be Tenten."

Tenten blinks and glances at him, her face betraying her surprise. Her cheek twitches with something painful. "Lee, what if things change? After this conflict? What if. . ." She refuses to finish, shaking her head.

Lee stretches out his hand to encompass hers. "If they change, we will weather it together, like we have everything else. We are Team Gai. It is who we are." He squeezes her hand in reassurance and looks back out to the village, admiring the view.

Tentatively, a moment later, Tenten squeezes back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- [ Kusari](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kusari-fundo), [ Katar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katar_\(dagger\))
> 
> \- When Lee mentions at seventeen that they will "be adults" in a few years, I'm relying on a Japanese mindset of adulthood, which is considered to be at 20 years old. It is even celebrated with a holiday: [ Coming of Age Day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coming_of_Age_Day).
> 
> Have a Thought? Drop it below.
> 
> Next week: We take a trip down memory lane. . . See you soon!


	11. Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Recap from chapter 5: Tenten meets up with Lee at Konoha's gates to begin their journey to the Land of Whirlpools, and is surprised to see Neji join them, following their heated fight from the previous evening. Refusing to speak to one another, they spend most of the day traveling in silence, eventually causing Lee to give them privacy to talk it out. After Tenten once again expresses her anger at Neji for withholding information, he finally divulges what he knows: that he had his suspicions that her parents were captured by rogue-nin following the Second Ninja War, placed under a cursed seal, then tortured for their knowledge of Uzushiogakure's fuinjutsu. Disturbed by this news, Tenten asks Neji for his source, but he tells her that it was destroyed several years prior. Neji sincerely apologizes and Tenten accepts, her anger ebbing. The following day, the three begin their trek to the shores of the Land of Whirlpools. Upon arrival, Tenten crumples to the sand, overwhelmed by a powerful memory. She slips away, into the past. . .
> 
> TW: This chapter contains a mention of possible abuse that may make some readers uncomfortable. If you want to skip that section, please begin reading at "They had shushed. . ."

* * *

_Let me go, boys, let me go_

_Push my boat from the highest cliff_

_To the sea below_

_Rocks are waiting, boys, if rocks await_

_Swoop down from the sky and catch me like a bird of prey_

_-[Now My Feet Won't Touch The Ground, Coldplay](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qneaDVwKwxI)_

* * *

_**\- six -** _

Her mother is holding her hand. She has a firm grip, her fingers calloused and warm around Tenten's. She is humming, and Tenten joins her, her small, down-turned mouth forming the simple tune. "Mommy?" Tenten asks. "Where're we going?"

Her mother stops humming and pulls her hand away from Tenten's to nibble at a jagged, dirty fingernail. "We're going home, Tennie," her mother answers wistfully.

Tenten does not know what this means, because they have only just left home. She thinks back to the small, dark room they have left behind. It had been cramped at times, with small pallets of straw on the ground to sleep on—her and Mommy and Baba, all crowded in together. There were strange people sometimes, who would come in and stroke Tenten's face, or grasp her hands and arms, lifting them with hungry eyes. Her father always became uncontrollably angry when this would happen; the strangers would do something with their hands, and then her father would sink to the ground, all the fight gone out of him. Her mother would always press Tenten's head into her shoulder, shielding her from the sight, humming a listless tune into Tenten's ear.

Tenten turns her brown eyes up to look at her father's broad back, his clothes riddled with holes and soot. He had been quieter than usual all morning, gone from the room before Tenten had awoken, only returning in the middle of she and her mother's breakfast of a single boiled egg and a palm's serving of rice. "Let's go," he had whispered.

And then, the strangest thing had happened: her mother had gathered up a rucksack hidden under the patches of straw and placed it on her thin, bony shoulder, grasping Tenten's hand in a vice-like grip.

They had shushed her before leaving the room, and their tension had seeped into Tenten's consciousness, making her press her lips together tightly in obedience. Her mother had led her down a dimly lit hallway, following her father, and then they were out in the sunshine. Tenten could hear birds clearly—always muffled to her ears from inside their room.

She had been outside before—her mother and father took turns taking her out, sunshine or rain, once or twice every few weeks. Her mother liked to sing while outdoors, various melodies that wormed their way into Tenten's mind and lifted her spirits. Her mother would walk in circles around the small gated yard, hands on her hips, eyes unseeing as she opened her mouth and let forth a song. Tenten would trail after her, stopping every once in a while to pick up a stick to throw or examine a snail's shell or an interesting pebble.

But her father always used their visits outdoors to give Tenten lessons. At first, when she was still considered a baby, her father would simply lecture—talking about things Tenten had no real grasp of and that were far less interesting than the color of the sky or the feel of grass under her feet. As she began to develop, however, her father began to press things into her hands, showing her how to stand, how to hold her arms, gently prodding her into correct posture.

"Why do we do this, Baba?" Tenten had asked on one particularly trying day, when she couldn't seem to even land a hit on a leaf from a low-hanging tree she'd been throwing rocks at.

She had felt him place his large palm on her head, a heavy, comforting weight. He had not answered for a long time, his other hand reaching out for the stone in Tenten's fist. She hands it to him and watches as he rubs it between his thumb and forefinger. "I am your Baba," he says finally. "It is my job to teach you everything I know."

Tenten had eyed the leaf doubtfully, unable to connect the threads that tied it to her father. Sensing her confusion, her father says, "You are my best hope for the future. It is important for me to teach you how to defend yourself, so that you can always hit your target." He lets the stone fly from his hands without looking. It hits the leaf squarely, knocking it loose from its branch.

Tenten had marched over to retrieve the leaf and the rock, studying them both with a close, awed eye. Her father had chuckled and beckoned her to his side, guiding her back indoors.

Now, they are walking on a barren road, not a single person in sight. This does not feel odd to her—besides her parents, Tenten has only ever seen the handful of strange people that came to their room every few days. She does not know why this is, only that it seems to be a source of great irritation for her mother and father. Slightly bored, Tenten asks her mother, "Can we play a game?"

"No, Tenten," her mother answers. "We must be very quiet until we get home."

Tenten huffs out a little sigh, glaring at her surroundings. "How far until we get there?"

"It will take us the rest of the day," her mother says in a hush. In an attempt to mollify her, she sets her hands on Tenten's head and says, "Shall I do your hair like Mito-san? Your favorite?"

Tenten nods eagerly and lets her mother move her into place, smiling as she feels her gather her short brown hair in hand.

Her mother had told her stories about Mito-san for as long as Tenten could remember. She was a great lady, young and beautiful, fearsome and strong. She came from a powerful family and had a commanding presence. She had deep red hair that she wore in two, twin buns, and Tenten thought it was the hairstyle of a legend, which is why she requested so often that her mother fix it that way.

Her mother resumes her humming as she twists Tenten's hair into a cooperating bun atop her head, tying it into place with a length of old string. Ahead, her father looks back and Tenten meets his eyes, smiling at first, before letting it fade under his expression. He looks worried, eyebrows furrowed over deep-set brown eyes.

"What's wrong with Baba?" she asks.

Her mother's tone of voice does not alleviate Tenten's suspicion. "Baba is just checking the road. To make sure we are going the right way. Aren't you, Baba?"

Tenten watches her father give a brief, forced smile and nod, turning back to face forward. She decides to save her questions for later, remembering her mother's request that she be quiet for the entirety of their journey.

They pass through fields and over hills, slipping through high grass and hopping over pebbled streams. Tenten has never been outside for this long, and she is reveling in the sharp breeze that blows across her face and the beaming sun that is warming her skin. When she complains of hunger, her mother swings the sack off her shoulder and offers her a palm of nuts. Tenten eats sparsely, ignoring the rumbling in her stomach that follows, even after her mother has put the bag back on her shoulder.

As the sun begins its descent in the sky, her parents halt on a low ridge, turned towards a vast sparkling swath of blue. Tenten stares at it for as long as she can, but eventually has to look away, her eyes burning from the sparkling white light. Spots in her vision, she asks, "Are we going to get that big shiny thing?"

Her father and mother chuckle, each of them taking one of her hands. Her father answers, "It's called the ocean, Tennie."

Tenten knows about the ocean, though she's never seen one before. Her mother had always described it as a deep blue thing, filled with water and fish and all sorts of things. She is slightly put off by the sight in front of her, how mismatched it seems to the picture in her mind.

They walk together down a steep embankment. Tenten stoops to grab a fistful of sand, smiling at the grainy texture that works its way quickly under her fingernails. Her parents stand not too far from her at the edge of the beach, talking softly as they stare out across the water. It is a different color up close, Tenten realizes. She wanders to her mother's side and takes hold of her pant leg, leaning her head into her mother's thigh. Absently, her mother's fingers brush across Tenten's forehead, rustling her bangs. Tenten inhales deeply and sighs peacefully at the scent of salt that washes over her senses.

"Tennie," her father says, drawing her attention. Tenten glances at him. He has crouched in front of her, his big hands reaching out to lightly squeeze her shoulders. "We are going to take a little walk, okay? Mommy and Baba are going to be with you, but we need you to do everything we say, alright?"

Tenten nods and her father smiles. He reaches into the folds of his tunic and withdraws a metal blade that Tenten had seen him with from time to time. He had told her once, when she'd asked, that it was called a kunai—a ninja tool. Her father holds it out to her and says gently, "Our walk will be a little scary. Hold onto this so you feel safe, okay, Tennie?"

Tenten wraps her small fingers around the handle and clutches the kunai to her chest. She gives her father a single, solemn nod.

Her parents step ankle-deep into the water. "I haven't done this in so long," says her mother, a sad longing in her voice.

"Me either," answers her father.

Tenten watches, curious, as her parents lift their legs up and set their feet upon the surface of the water. Their feet hold, miraculously, and then they are both standing there above the water. Tenten's mouth drops open in awe. "Is this like the magic that Mito-san has?" she asks her mother urgently.

Her mother laughs and holds out her hand for Tenten to join her. "Yes, Tennie. Just like Mito-san." Tenten takes her hand, holding it tight as her mother picks her up and settles her on her hip. "Stay still, okay, Tennie? Mommy has to concentrate."

Tenten nods into her mother's shoulder, wrapping her free arm around her neck. Her mother's skin is sticky with sweat, a sharp odor rising to fill Tenten's nostrils. She wrinkles her nose but says nothing, studying her parents as they attempt to adjust their footing.

"Let's go," her father says finally.

Slowly, they begin their way across the water. The waves roll like the hills they had crossed earlier in the day, and it makes Tenten's stomach hurt. On a particularly tumultuous wave, one that her mother must half-break through with her body while trying to stay upright, Tenten feels bile crawl up her throat. She almost tells her mother that she wants to get down, that she is going to be sick, but she holds back her complaint. Her parents' faces are strained with effort, their footing seeming weaker and weaker as they move further out onto the ocean.

Tenten looks down into the water and cannot see anything but darkness. It scares her. A small whimper escapes her mouth, and she presses the kunai to her chest, the metal cold against the thinness of her shirt.

A few moments pass with her parents clearly struggling to make it past increasingly larger waves. Tenten hears her father faintly say to her mother, "It is getting rougher."

"We can make it. We aren't far now."

Tenten clings to the resolve in her mother's voice and takes comfort. Her mother knows what she is doing, is confident that they are going to get home. Tenten believes her.

At one point, Tenten notices that the sky has darkened, though she cannot recall seeing clouds gather on the beach. Her father notices as well and comments, "Summer storm. It's come up quickly."

Her mother turns her head, scanning their surroundings, but there is nothing it seems. Just them and endless water. Her parents stop, keeping widened eyes on the next crest of waves coming towards them.

"Maybe we should turn back, until the storm dies down," her mother suggests.

Her father shakes his head, grim-faced. "It's too far back now. We have to keep going. How's your chakra doing?"

Tenten cannot see the expression her mother makes, but it must not be an encouraging one. Her father grits his teeth. "Mine isn't great either. I'm spending too much energy on these waves."

"What are we going to do?"

The sudden desperation in her mother's voice makes Tenten hold tighter to the kunai, uncertainty filling her mind. Why couldn't they just go back home, to the small dark room? She is about to make this suggestion when her mother slips a little.

One foot ducks under the waves and her mother shouts. Tenten is rocked by the sudden imbalance, squeezing her eyes shut in terror. Her father throws out a hand to right them both, pulls his wife up by the elbows, keeping them tucked in to secure Tenten. She can feel her mother shaking and sets her forehead against her mother's cheek. It is wet, from the waves, Tenten thinks. "I'm so tired. I don't—I don't think I can go any farther," her mother cries.

Her father curses. Tenten eyes him as he looks around desperately. But there is nothing. Her parents' shock and worry is palpable, and Tenten does not know how to help. She would suggest they swim, but she never had the opportunity to learn; Tenten absently wonders if either of her parents knows how.

"Let's keep going," her father says with a burst of renewed courage. He takes her mother's hand and leads her forward.

The situation does not improve. Wave after wave slams into them, soaking them all to the bone with salty water. Tenten coughs once, accidentally breathing some of it in during an onslaught. A few more times, Tenten's mother loses her balance. They splash into the waves and Tenten shouts, falling easily into the darkness. Her father picks them up each time, finally setting Tenten on his shoulders so her mother can try to stand without the extra weight.

"We will make it," he says under his breath, clearly speaking to himself and not to his wife or daughter. Tenten grips the top of his head nervously. She does not like her new position; from this perspective she has nowhere to look but forward, facing the fearsome waves coming towards them.

Time seems to stretch on endlessly as her parents take impossibly slow, measured steps, trying to keep above the waves on which they're standing. Her mother, after another particularly vicious beating from the waves, chokes out, "I can't, Ryu. I can't keep going. I'm. . . My chakra is gone. All my strength is gone."

Tenten looks at her and cannot comprehend the expression on her mother's face. Her eyes are bloodshot with fear, her thin face pale and gaunt. "Take Tenten and—"

"No!" her father interrupts. "Hold my hand, I will carry both of you."

"You can't—"

A wave smashes into them and Tenten shuts her eyes tight against the burn of the saltwater. Suddenly, she loses her grip on her father's hair as he dips down to reach for her mother. Tenten slides off, her body slick with water. She yelps and drops beneath the surface.

Distantly, she can hear her father screaming from above, yelling her name, but Tenten cannot answer because her mouth is filled with water. Her chest sputters, searching for oxygen, but she cannot find any. Her eyes are open, and they sting with saltwater, but she cannot see anything. It is too dark, in this ocean that had looked like a jewel.

She pushes against the water around her, feels her body surge upward, but it is not enough. She is too small and too inexperienced to conquer this big, vast sea. She does not know how to swim. _Why not?_ she wonders.

She is still trying to pull herself up and out when a hand fastens itself on her wrist. Tenten's head breaks free from the water and she gasps in a deep breath. Her father yanks her to him, but he is in the water now too, head bobbing. Tenten cannot see her mother; she does not know where she is.

"Tennie, listen to Baba. I'm going to send you back to shore. Wait for me there, okay? Can you do that?"

Tenten nods dumbly, not understanding. Her father places a cold, wet kiss to her forehead, and touches the wrist holding tightly to the kunai. "Don't forget," he says. "As long as you have this, you're safe."

"Baba—" Tenten begins, wanting to ask where Mommy is, but she does not get to finish her sentence. Her father pushes her away, back towards the way they had traveled, and then she is speeding across the water, carried by an energy she cannot see.

It gives out several yards from the shore. Tenten struggles to the beach, panting, arms aching, until her feet find purchase on the sandy bottom. She all but collapses onto land when she makes it, falling face-first onto the hot sand.

There is a chill in the air from the storm. It runs down Tenten's spine and gives her goosebumps. For several moments, all she can do is lie still on her front, overcome with exhaustion. When she's caught her breath, she rolls over onto her back and shakily sits up, scanning the ocean. She cannot see anything but the roll of low storm clouds suspended above even stormier waves. Tenten stares out at the waves as black floods the corners of her vision. "Mommy? Baba?"

No one answers. Her parents are gone. There are no more tunes to hum. No more leaves to aim at with rocks. Tenten stumbles to her feet, though she has no idea where to go. The hot sand stings her cheeks as she falls into unconsciousness, the kunai clasped to her chest.

* * *

When Tenten comes back to herself, she vomits. As she retches, the last strands of the vision fading, a warm hand rests on her back in comfort. It is an anchor to reality, while her thoughts swim beneath waves of lost memory. A headache resonates through her brain, and Tenten takes several low, deep breaths as she winces from the sudden pain.

"Are you alright?" Neji asks, crouched next to her. The hand on her back moves up to her neck, long fingers squeezing at the tension point at the base of her skull. The pain in her head eases somewhat.

She nods, not trusting herself to speak just yet; her stomach is still queasy. Tenten slowly cracks open her eyes to see Lee kneeling directly in front of her, his face grave with concern. "Tenten? Are you okay?"

Tenten shakily lifts her hand to her mouth and clears it of the clammy mix of sweat and spittle. "Yeah," she croaks.

Neji shifts and presses a canteen into her hands. She drinks, feeling stronger with each swallow. "Thanks," she says when she has drunk her fill, handing the canteen back.

"What happened?" Lee whispers.

Tenten sighs through her nose and breaks from Neji's side to give herself some space to process. She runs her fingers through her bangs, thinking through what she'd seen. At her waist, she can feel the kunai with the map pulsing, like it had recognized it was back in the land it had been crafted. Tenten carefully takes it out from its pouch and examines it. The faint blue lines are even clearer now, deepening into glowing sapphire veins. As she watches, the Whirlpools symbol spins faster at its point.

"I saw. . . I saw that day, with my parents," she says slowly. "The day we escaped." Tenten's eyes dart to meet Neji's. He is staring at her with complete focus, jaw tight in concern.

Lee lets out a breath. "What did you see?"

Tenten shakes her head, wincing. "They . . . they tried to cross the ocean on foot. But they were drained even as they started. . . They probably hadn't used that much chakra in years. I didn't realize—we were crossing the ocean and they started to lose their control. And there was a storm, but . . ." She stops as her voice breaks, her throat constricting around the words. Lee extends one of his long arms to take Tenten's hand; he squeezes it encouragingly. Drawing herself up, Tenten continues, "My mother carried me and then she couldn't anymore, so my father set me on his shoulders. She—my mother couldn't hold herself up. She fell into the water, and my father dove for her and I slipped off. . ." Tenten shudders, as if she had been dropped back into that watery darkness. "He pulled me back up and used the last of his chakra to send me back to the shore." Tenten's eyes drop to the sand. She absently picks at it, rubbing the grains between her thumb and forefinger.

"You don't remember anything else after that?" prompts Neji. "The people who found you?"

"No. I passed out on the beach."

The three consider this in silence for a minute, before Lee points out the change in the kunai. "It is brighter now."

Tenten holds it up, eyes flitting over the shining path designed on the kunai. There would be time to process the memory later, she decides. Taking a steadying breath, Tenten meets her teammates' eyes and raises an eyebrow, offering them a weak half-smile. "Ready for a treasure hunt?"

* * *

They head up the beach on tired legs, cresting sand dunes and traversing down grassy, overgrown hills. The island is small, perhaps the same size as Konoha proper. As they walk, they note signs of long-ago civilization—stone foundations covered in weeds and vines, weathered and faded wooden gates sagging into the earth. Finally, as they come to the edge of yet another hill, they see it. There is silence as they stare down into the valley. Crumbled, red sandstone buildings lie in heaps, markings scrawled into the stone. The Land of Whirlpools is rubble.

Tenten had known as much, following her research and Academy history lessons, but seeing it with her own eyes is somehow so different than reading about it in textbooks. Neji steps a little closer, eyes straining to make out distinct features. After a moment, he confirms, "It is the symbol of the Land of Whirlpools on these buildings."

Tenten glances at Lee's flak jacket, gaze lingering on the symbol adopted by Konoha. She sucks in a breath and takes the lead down the hill, eyes scanning her surroundings. Uzushiogakure lies in the center of the island, surrounded by a calm-looking river. There are bridges, some intact, but most are partially fallen into the water below. There is debris everywhere that delays their progress, causing them to be cautious as they pass through the disarray. It is eerily quiet.

From behind, Lee says aloud, "I wonder why no one ever rebuilt here."

Tenten says, picking her way over a beam, "Because most people think it's cursed."

Lee thinks for a moment. Then he asks, slightly awed, "Is it?"

Neji sighs aloud at the rear of their formation, his irritation evident. Tenten shrugs and answers, "Maybe."

Their trek is significantly more subdued after that.

The kunai continues to pulsate as they make their way slowly across one of the only unbroken bridges, vibrating with energy as they draw closer to their suspected destination. Tenten analyzes the lines again, squinting, trying to make sense of it.

"It's a street map," Neji says, brushing by her. He stares out at the littered path before them, tilting his head in consideration, trying to work out a way through.

"But where is it leading us?" Lee asks, stopping at Tenten's side to look over the kunai.

Neji glances at Tenten over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. She shakes her head, thinking through everything she'd learned. Her eyes dart to Neji in realization, asking, "Could it be leading us to . . . my father's forge? You said the journal mentioned he was a weapons-maker?"

Neji bites the inside of his cheek, considering it. He shrugs, gesturing that they keep moving. "There's only one way to find out. Let's keep going."

Tenten moves forward, holding the kunai out, trying to imagine Uzushiogakure as it once was, and not in its present decayed state. Tenten recalls the image of the village painted on the scroll in Konoha's library. It is clear to her that the village was designed to be a fortress, protected as it was by its steep, grassy hills and the river separating the main hub from other parts of the island. The village also seemed to have been fairly advanced for its time—Tenten notes several buildings that look to have been high-rises, all in uniform sandstone. The insignia of the village is everywhere—carved into the stone of the streets, on the outsides of buildings, decorating scattered and broken pottery.

"It's sad," she murmurs, "to think that their history was destroyed like this, only out of fear." Lee utters a quick agreement beside her.

They turn into a wide avenue that is cleaner than some of the other streets they had crossed. Tenten slows her pace, watching as the whirlpool emblem on the kunai spins even quicker. "I think we're close," she whispers.

Softly, Neji activates his Byakugan and looks around, taking survey. Tenten steps to the side, head hunched over the kunai, praying for it to give some kind of indication of where to go next. As she moves further down the street, she sees the symbol glow brighter or diminish, depending on the direction she is facing, functioning almost like a compass. She fixates on the point it glows the brightest and moves that way, facing southeast. The whirlpool spins wildly and Tenten holds her breath, heart hammering in her chest.

She stops in front of an impassable pile of wood and stone. There are scattered knick-knacks underneath the building debris, embedded in the dirt. She crouches and digs her fingers into the sandy foundation; her fingernails scrape the distinct form of something metal.

Sighing, she sets the kunai down on the ground and uses both hands to unearth a flat metal disk, similar to a shuriken, but with no space made for a handhold. It has rusted somewhat along the edges, but Tenten is still able to see her reflection in the spotted surface. She is surprised to see that her eyes are filling with tears. _Now_ _, really?_ she thinks to herself, sniffling. Aloud, she calls, "Guys? I think I found what we're looking for."

Lee calls back, "Tenten, how do you know?"

Tenten settles before the dilapidated beams, her hands brushing away dust. She eyes the kunai and picks it up again. The grooves on the kunai blaze almost white; the spinning whirlpool has finally frozen in place, gleaming. "The map on the kunai told me." Her gaze is pulled to a section of toppled over columns to her right. "Neji, could you—?"

Neji obliges, crouching next to her as he looks with the Byakugan. He searches for a moment, then points at a spot a few feet from where Tenten had indicated. "There. There's a chakra signature on one of the beams. It looks like a seal."

Tenten stands, eyes roving over the debris that lie between her and the beam. Wordlessly, she uses a burst of chakra to jump to the place Neji had pointed out.

"Be careful, Tenten," Lee says.

She nods distractedly and lets her fingers skim down the beam. Sensing the seal, she funnels energy into the wood and feels a section of the pillar pop open. Tenten runs her hand down, wincing as splinters prick her skin. Her fingers brush against a latch, and then find a small, cylindrical object. She pulls and it comes loose, falling into her hand. Tenten straightens and holds the item up to the light. It is a scroll, wrapped securely with a woven cord, no bigger than the span of her two palms. The kunai in her free hand glows for a brief moment before dimming, darkening back to its dull metal sheen. Tenten looks back at Neji and Lee, who are watching. She stumbles back down to them, holding the scroll aloft for them to see.

"What do you think it could be?" Lee asks.

Tenten shrugs, unconcerned with its contents for the moment. She looks over her shoulder at the place where her father's forge had stood. It would take too long to try to recover anything else, and who knows if it had still held his things after he and her mother were kidnapped? They had disappeared from Uzushiogakure before the village had been razed.

The unknowns of their lives sweep through Tenten's mind—she didn't even know their names. Tenten's chin trembles and she presses a hand to her forehead, trying to stem the emotion threatening to burst out of her. Lee's arms surround her first, and Tenten sinks into them, holding back a sob. She can feel Neji at her back, cautious, but after a moment of hesitation, his arms are around her too, his face pressing into the side of her head. His mouth brushes the shell of her ear, and that is when Tenten feels her tears release. Her teammates cling to her tightly, and Tenten squeezes herself closer to Lee, resting her head on his chest. Her tears soak through his jacket, her fists wrinkling the fabric of his jumpsuit from clinging so tightly.

They hold her until all her tears are spent, her face raw and aching. She shoots them both a sheepish look as she unravels herself from their grasp, pocketing the scroll and the kunai at the pouch at her waist. She clears her throat, "We should get back to Fire's shore before nightfall, unless you two want to stay the night in this ghost town."

She wouldn't mind it, personally, but Tenten can tell from the way Neji is standing and the slight anxiety in Lee's eyes, that being here in the ruins of Uzushiogakure makes them uncomfortable. In agreement, they cross the river again and head back to the beach in revered silence.

* * *

Their journey back across the ocean to their familiar coast is uneventful, only taking a brief break on Whirlpools' beach to gather their strength before starting their return. It is early evening by the time they step onto the sandy shore of their country, and all three fall into familiar rhythms to set up camp. Tenten feeds a fire, surprised by the evening chill that has sprung up to accompany the hot day. Their dinner is sparse, with it being too dark for Neji to try to fish, but they settle for eating one of the pre-packaged meals each had packed for the trip.

Tenten is finishing her manju, lost in her thoughts, when she notices the way Lee and Neji are staring at her, expectantly. "What?" she says between mouthfuls.

Neji's lips quirk with impatience. He gestures to the pouch at her waist. "Are you going to open it?"

Tenten frowns and chews slowly on the last bit of her snack. She withdraws the scroll and turns it over in her hands, keeping her fingers moving so her teammates won't see them shaking. Tenten grips the scroll tightly, jaw set.

"What is wrong, Tenten?" Lee poses after a moment of waiting.

The tears are back, welling up in her eyes, causing her vision to swim. Tenten gives a quick shake of her head. Haltingly, she says, "I . . . don't remember. I forgot them. On purpose, it seems. All of the memories—they've been trapped inside my head for so long. How could I forget? They were my parents—the only family I had. . ."

In a flash, Lee is by her side, an arm thrown over her shoulder. "You were young when you lost them," he says evenly. "It is not your fault that you do not remember."

Tenten sniffles, wiping her nose on her sleeve. Across from her, Neji says, eyes intent, "After my father died, the older I got, the more I wondered how much of my memories of him were things that really happened, or things I constructed." His mouth turns downward into a slant, his face shadowed by the firelight. "There are . . . memories I have of him that didn't really happen. I know—I've asked different family members. But that doesn't mean I am wrong for having them, or for not remembering clearly how things were. I honor his memory; that is what's most important."

Next to her, Lee nods fervently. Tenten swallows thickly past the lump in her throat. Neji continues, studying her carefully, "You did not have the opportunity to have the childhood you should have had. But I hope . . . in some small way, Team Gai has filled up some of what you have lost."

"I agree with Neji," Lee says without hesitation. He squeezes Tenten's shoulder tightly. "It is unfortunate, what happened to them, what happened to all of the people those rogue ninja kidnapped. But we found our way to each other. For that I am grateful."

Tenten hides her face in her hands; Lee soothingly rubs her back. Her teammates wait quietly as she collects herself. When Tenten re-emerges, she smiles weakly, saying, "I'll never live this down—you guys have seen me cry more today than probably all the years you've known me."

Lee brushes this aside with a convicting, "Your tears are precious to us. We would never make fun of you for showing your heart."

Tenten snorts, embarrassed at the wet sound that rings out. She chances a glance at Neji, but he too looks unwaveringly serious. He holds her gaze for a moment before nodding once, in agreement with Lee. Their response is enough to sober her; she casts aside the rest of her doubt.

"Well, shall we see what secrets the Land of Whirlpools holds?" she poses, settling the scroll in her lap. At the knotted end of the cord, holding the scroll closed, is the whirlpool symbol, set as a wax seal. With a deep breath, Tenten breaks it with her fingers and lets the scroll unfurl.

It is not very long, perhaps the length of her arms if she were to stretch them out. The paper is old but in good condition, if a little yellowed by time. Tenten traces a finger over the marked characters. "It's a journal, I think."

"It is not concealing anything?" Lee asks.

Tenten's fingers move, forming a release, but nothing happens. She slowly shakes her head, eyes scanning the inky black words. She skims, not staying too long on any particular sentence.

"Well?" Neji interrupts.

"What?" Tenten asks, glancing at him.

Neji's gaze is intense, singularly focused on her. He nods at the scroll in her hands. "Read it."

Tenten pauses, looking between her two teammates. They must see the apprehension on her face because Lee says quietly, "You can do it, Tenten."

Tenten swallows, eyes darting to Neji again. He nods once more, reassuring. Tenten shifts and looks down at the scroll in her hands. She clears her throat and begins.

* * *

It rains on and off the entirety of the next day as they make their way back to Konoha. Tenten is grumpy, having not slept well. Lee spends most of the morning goading Neji and Tenten into playing exercise games or challenging them to ridiculous tasks. By midday, Tenten has snapped at Lee so severely he has fallen silent. Neji eyes her, clearly amused, but Tenten ignores him as well, suspecting he had been enjoying Lee press her buttons.

They reach Konoha's gate an hour before sunset and walk leisurely to the Hokage's office, waving at ninja they pass on their way. Lee, feeling the tension has passed somewhat, says, "Shall we eat dinner together tonight after speaking with Hokage-sama? I will treat, and perhaps Mai can join us?" He looks at Tenten hopefully.

She smiles faintly and nods. "Sure. We should drop by and invite Gai-sensei too."

Lee pumps the air with his fist and commences to race up the stairs to the Hokage's office in a burst of energy. Neji lifts an eyebrow in mild surprise. He says, keeping pace with her as they begin up the steps, "I would have thought you would want to get away from him as soon as possible, considering how much he annoyed you today."

Tenten shrugs. "He didn't mean any harm. I'm just tired."

Neji inclines his head at this, catching her eye. "You're still processing what was in the scroll," he states, not quite questioning.

She sighs. "The whole trip, really. It was a lot."

"It must feel good though," Neji says. "To have answers, after so many years."

"I guess," Tenten replies. She hesitates, then says, "Do you regret keeping it from me for so long? You and Gai-sensei?"

Neji's face reddens, gaze falling to the steps they are climbing. "It—it's in my blood, my nature, to want to protect the people that are important to me. I didn't want to leave you unguarded to something so painful. I wanted. . . I was hoping that we were enough for you. I should have realized that you wanting to know about your past and your family was not a reflection on your wish to be separate from us, though it felt like it, at the time. I shouldn't have assumed such a thing. I'm sorry that I did."

Tenten considers this. "I always wanted something that was mine, you know? Weapons have always been that for me, and after the war . . . it's like my identity got taken away. And it made me realize how empty my life is, without you and Lee and Gai-sensei, without missions or conflict." She exhales a long, low breath. "I don't know how to be strong, or hell, even be _me_ without Team Gai or missions or weapons. And it's scary."

Neji stops and Tenten half-turns back to face him, a step above him. He gazes up at her earnestly. "It's not the weapons or the missions that make you strong," he tells her. "It's your heart. I know exactly who you are, even without knowing your parents were from Uzushiogakure, or that you have a natural gift for bukijutsu or fuinjutsu. You've always been searching for something else to . . . make you more, like when you wanted to become a medic. But you've always had what you needed." His feet shift on the steps; it almost sounds like the first stance of the kaiten. Neji swallows and murmurs, "Nothing can change who you are, in my eyes."

Tenten flushes and Neji brushes past her to continue up the stairs, refraining from uttering another word. Lee cajoles them as they reach the Hokage's office, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "You two need to challenge yourselves more," he says, knocking on the door.

The Sixth permits them entrance and Team Gai falls in, bowing their heads respectfully. "Ah," Kakashi says, leaning back in his chair, "Team Gai is back. Was your trip successful?"

"It was, Hokage-sama," Tenten answers, absently touching the scroll tucked safely at her hip.

"I am glad to hear it. Anything I should know?" The three of them shake their heads and Kakashi accepts this easily. "Fine, fine. Go home and get some rest, then." He dismisses them with a wave of his hand.

Lee and Neji file out, and Tenten follows, only halting when Kakashi calls her back by name. He looks up from his stack of paperwork, his one visible eye piercingly amused. "Did you find what you were looking for, Tenten-san?"

Tenten smiles, a little sad. Her thoughts, instead of returning to the map on the kunai or the scroll hidden away inside the wooden beam, go to the moment when Lee and Neji had surrounded her outside of her father's forge, holding her together as she fell apart. _My family_ , she thinks. She nods at Kakashi. "Yes. I did."

Kakashi releases her with a nod, and Tenten exits into the hallway, where Neji and Lee are dutifully waiting for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- The weapon that Tenten finds in the debris of the forge is called a [chakram](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakram).
> 
> \- [Manju](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manj%C5%AB).
> 
> I know I left you all hanging on the scroll - don't worry, you'll find out soon what it contains. The next interlude is the one I *assume* all of you have been waiting for: it's time for our Byakugan Prince to have his say.
> 
> Thank you, as always, for reading and sharing your Thoughts. Hoping all of you are well. See you in a week!


	12. Interlude Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may want to do a quick read through of chapter 3 and interlude 3 before reading this one; it is not necessary to understand this interlude, but it may help bring to mind some things previously mentioned that I also touch on here.
> 
> TW: There's a mention of blood and a description of a wound in this chapter. . . If you'd rather not read things like that, once you finish reading the paragraph that begins "Once when she is fifteen. . .", then please skip to the paragraph that starts with "Tenten is quiet. . ."

* * *

_Might have to go where they don't know my name_

_Float all over the world just to see her again_

_But I won't show or feel any pain_

_Even though all my armor might rust in the rain_

_-[Up With The Birds, Coldplay](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUR2WOSa3ww)_

* * *

_**\- interlude six: neji -** _

Out of all the things that Hyuga Neji relies on as a ninja, he considers his body the most important.

His eyes, of course, are a central part of his identity and livelihood, not to mention the respect they bring wherever he travels. Ninja tools also come in handy in the thick of a charged moment, or when an enemy is out of his reach. But even more so, his limbs, his torso, his hands and feet—Neji considers these invaluable, irreplaceable. It is the only thing he has to defend, to protect what is precious to him.

When he is injured, devastatingly so, during the Fourth Ninja War, Neji struggles to foresee a positive future for himself. The war did not go as he had expected (but of course, when does war ever go as one expects?). Instead of coming home in one piece, strengthened and victorious, he returns to Konoha barely able to walk, his body unrecognizable to his naked eye. He catches his reflection—at the hospital during physical therapy and checkups, in the paneled halls of the Hyuga, in the meditation pool in the garden outside his bedroom. He does not like what he sees. Every part of him hurts, aching with new, scarred over skin; his movements agonizingly slow, like a newborn. He feels inadequate, useless, but most of all, he feels like his dreams of being the strongest member of the Hyuga clan have disappeared in a puff of smoke that, not so long ago, had been in his reach. The first few days back, when he is confined to the hospital under Sakura's watchful eye, Neji can do nothing but stare up at the ceiling, wondering if saving him was even worth it.

He does his best to shield the level of his disappointment. Sakura forbids his usual strenuous training rituals, permitting him nothing more difficult than a stroll for the first couple of weeks. It is exceedingly dull and does little to improve Neji's comfort with his new reality.

Hinata and Hanabi make it their personal mission to care for him while confined at home, though he is embarrassed by their attention, if not secretly grateful. He never gets used to Hinata's silent tears as they take turns around the gardens, her hand clutched tightly around his arm.

Lee is an elevated version of his usual self, frequently dropping by the Hyuga compound to espouse encouragement. For weeks, Neji wonders if this overflowing energy is a byproduct of Lee's own guilt for his good health, in comparison to Gai and himself.

But Tenten, though she is his best friend, is the one Neji has the hardest time facing. Her very presence makes Neji feel as if he's failed in some way. He cannot offer himself as a test subject for her myriad of projects anymore, nor even present a challenge as a training partner. Neji had long prided himself as the strongest one in their partnership, though if he was ever stupid enough to say so aloud, Tenten would be quick to correct him, throwing a shuriken or a kunai out of spite. Now, however, it is apparent that she is superior to him.

It makes him slightly uncomfortable, their role reversal, like he has finally been left behind. He had never found it easy to be submissive, though he'd improved exponentially since he'd been placed in Team Gai. Perhaps it was due to his own position with his family, that made him so resistant to subjection. Of course, being lauded as a genius throughout childhood didn't help matters either. Often, during his genin years, Gai-sensei had pulled him aside to reprimand his attitude, his arrogance. Lee, too, had coached him on humility, but it had not been something Neji had truly understood until much later, even following his defeat by Naruto.

Tenten had used to constantly mock him behind his back, especially when he was being particularly insufferable. For the longest time, he hadn't paid her any mind, tilting his chin upward in pride, ignoring her rolled eyes. But as he grew older, the gaps between them began to close. As competitive as they all were, Team Gai had no member that exceeded the others-they were all constantly progressing, improving, becoming stronger than they were the day before.

But something breaks between them following his injury, leaving a brittle, jagged edge. When she visits, or he is aching so sorely for her company that he deigns to ask her to take a walk with him, their conversation is stilted. Neji has nothing to say to answer the questions in her eyes; he can't even answer his own questions. He yearns for her company and rejects it in the same breath, too proud to ask her for attention and too dejected to want to subject her to his sour mood. He arrives at an uncomfortable impasse, concluding that the only solution is to distance himself since he can no longer be everything Tenten deserves in a partner.

Surprisingly, Gai is the only one who can empathize with him.

"Ah, Neji," Gai begins one evening that they both happen to be stuck at the hospital to undergo observation, "what a fitting place for us, hm?"

Neji glances over to his sensei, brow creasing somewhat at his unnaturally resigned tone. Gai gives him a wink and a smile, lacing his hands behind his head. "Our bodies may be broken, but our youth is still intact, right?"

Neji nods, having no other response for this comment. Gai continues to study him, dark eyes unwavering. A moment later, he says, "You are hiding yourself away. Why? Because you do not feel like yourself?"

Neji meets his sensei's gaze, clenching his jaw. _Dammit, why did we both have appointments at the same time?_ Aloud, Neji replies crisply, "I'm not the same, Gai-sensei."

Gai leans forward in his chair, fixing Neji with an intense stare. Neji stares back, too tired to try to escape the situation. Gai asks, "Because your body moves slower than it used to? You are not only your body, Neji, just like you are not only your eyes."

Neji wants to argue this point, to remind Gai that he at least has some mobility whereas Neji has literally had his organs stitched back together, like some kind of monster. He wants to say that he feels ugly, not only on the outside but the inside too—and Neji has never felt as vain as he does now, criticizing his bruised and mottled skin, judging the speed with which he can accomplish the most simple of tasks, things that used to take him seconds now stretch out to minutes, leaving him no choice but to count each and every pause. But he says nothing, knowing that Gai's unending positivity will flood into the cracks if Neji speaks a word.

Gai is smarter than that, however. He raises an eyebrow at Neji and says, smirking, "You cannot hide things from me. I see more than you think I do."

Again, Neji does not respond. He is too afraid of what he will say if he attempts it—that all the black, sticky ugliness will spill out of him and then what? It wouldn't change anything.

"Neji," Gai begins in a gentle tone, one that he usually only reserves for Tenten or Lee when they are particularly upset, "you will always be more than what your body is capable of. Don't be so discouraged."

A flash of anger sears across Neji's chest. Sharply, he demands, "How can you say that? Everything that I am depends on my skill. My physical talent. If I don't have that, then I am nothing."

Gai tsks, as if Neji has failed a lesson or a task that he had been assigned. He shakes his head. "You would be a genius even if you couldn't learn the main family's jutsu, or didn't have analytical talent, or weren't a natural born leader. You would be a genius even without the Byakugan." Gai shrugs, as if his words are simple fact, unarguable. "Nothing can take away who you are, even if you are never the same, physically or otherwise."

Neji mulls this over, fingers tugging loosely on the bandages around his arm. Dryly, he replies, "Some genius—getting impaled twice."

Gai releases a surprised boom of laughter. Weakly, Neji smiles.

* * *

It is not a simple transition for him to make. Gone are the days spent exhausting himself, pushing himself to his limits. Now, even running a short distance can leave him out of breath, gasping for air. Hiashi notices and extends invitation after invitation for Neji to join him in one of the Hyuga dojo to spar. It quickly becomes Neji's refuge.

Though it is a relief to finally be moving his limbs in the familiar techniques of his clan, it hurts. Neji winces as Hiashi's palm grazes his side, despite the fact his uncle is far from using his full power. Hiashi notices his flinch but says nothing, pausing to give Neji time to shake it off.

Neji stretches out his torso for a brief second, arms above his head, before resuming his defensive stance. Hiashi moves again, testing Neji's response time. Neji blocks, shifting back on his feet to complete a defensive rotation. Hiashi pursues, hands deftly smacking Neji's hands away, pushing to get past his resistance.

Neji's breathing is shallow in his chest; he inhales deeply to steady his racing heart. Hiashi tilts his head towards his nephew, noting the sweat that has broken out on his face. Hiashi drops his arms and steps back to give Neji space, saying, "Take a moment to gather yourself."

"Thank you, Uncle," he says, hating that they are having to stop on his account. Neji crouches on the wooden floor of the dojo, resting his elbows on his knees. He focuses on breathing air in through his nose and exhaling out of his mouth.

"It will take some time to adjust," Hiashi begins after letting Neji's ragged breaths fill the room for a moment. "Your body will not be as before, Neji."

Neji had assumed as much, given the time it is taking for him to recover. But he doesn't like hearing it, all the same. He forces himself to his feet, though he needs another minute to catch his breath. Neji holds up his arms and nods his readiness.

But Hiashi looks on, pale eyes roving over Neji, a slight crease in his forehead. "I mentioned it to your teammate when we were returning to Konoha. Did she tell you what I said?"

Neji's mouth purses. He shakes his head.

"Ah." Hiashi glances out of the open window he is leaning against. Winter is setting on early this year; the gardens have already been lightly dusted with snow. "She must have dismissed it then, as well."

Neji brushes a hand along the bandages covering his left forearm, distracted by the mention of Tenten. His thoughts wander to their previous conversation, only a handful of weeks ago during their return to Konoha, of Tenten's probing of the Hyuga traditions. Neji frowns. "What did you say?"

Hiashi is fully facing the gardens now. His face looks paler in the soft winter light. "I told her that you will not be able to do the same things you used to. That you will have to adjust."

Neji's mouth tightens with disagreement. "Haruno-san will release me soon from observation," he points out. "It might take me . . . longer than I thought, but I will regain my strength and become better than I was before."

Hiashi spares Neji a sympathetic look. "Neji," he says slowly, "you can no longer push yourself as you did before. It could cause irreparable damage."

Neji flinches. "I've already been irreparably damaged. Twice now, as a matter of fact," he retorts edgily.

Hiashi holds up a calming hand to quiet Neji's frustration. He waits until Neji nods for him to continue, then says, "Nothing will change what you have accomplished. You don't have to prove anything to anyone."

Neji does not know what to say to this. He stares at his uncle, at a loss. Hiashi goes on, "I have given you more than is expected for a branch member. I—if it were possible, I would bid you to take my place as leader of the clan."

Neji gapes at Hiashi in surprise, raising his eyebrows at this unexpected admission. A look of regret passes over Hiashi's face. "You know that is not possible, now."

Neji turns his eyes to the ground, analyzing his bare feet on the wooden planks. The clan traditions were firm in who could become successor; if any Hyuga wished to compete for headship and there wasn't a consensus among the elders, combat was demanded between the current successor and the applicant. "I . . . understand," Neji says, mind wandering to Hanabi. At his current state . . . he could not defeat her, nor would he wish to.

"However, I was hoping that you would . . . become an advisor of sorts. For Hanabi and the younger Hyuga. You've already been helping your younger cousins. It would make sense for you to assist Hanabi with her leadership roles."

Neji looks up again, bewildered. "Uncle, I . . . I am not at my strongest, as you've already pointed out."

"You are already better suited for it than I am, or many of the other family members." Hiashi gives him a small, encouraging smile. "They look up to you—all of them."

"You would give me that responsibility? Even in my position?" Neji asks, wanting more of an explanation.

"I have already discussed it with the elders." Hiashi crosses his arms. "They do not agree with me, but I have the final say in this, at least, as clan leader." He gives Neji an attentive look. "You and Hanabi will begin a new era of the Hyuga clan, with the branch and main house members united together. It is my wish."

Neji had wanted for so long to hear his uncle say this, but a question forms anyway. "Uncle, why not accomplish this now? Why can't the branch members be unsealed and be given complete freedom?"

Hiashi frowns and glances back out to the snowy gardens. Neji watches him as his attention catches on a delicate warbling white-eye; it pecks at the ground for a spare insect, and finding nothing, flits away. Hiashi answers, "I think I now understand a small piece of what you must feel, as a branch member in this family." He shrugs. "The elders insist on having their own way, and I want mine. I will not disrespect them by forcing it through. We are at a stalemate."

Neji mulls over the meaning behind his uncle's words—at the apparent meetings he had with the elders to convince them, the arguments that have been made. With a pang, Neji wishes his father were still alive, wishes he could still talk with him about the things relating to their family.

"Neji?"

"Yes, Uncle?" Neji replies, glancing up.

Hiashi is regarding him with a serious expression, eyes filled with regret. "The seal cannot be removed without taking the life of the person it is branded upon. It was never designed to be taken away—except at death. I thought it would only be fair to tell you that."

Neji does not reply, absently brushing his fingertips over the bandages obscuring his curse mark. Hiashi bows once to leave Neji with his thoughts and moves for the door. Before he can step out, he says over his shoulder, "You are still the Hyuga clan's genius, Neji. Even if your body does not work like it used to."

While this is a small comfort, it does not lessen the sting that Neji feels. He crouches for a moment, taking a few steadying breaths. His new path is marked before him. He decides to take it.

* * *

He had always been somewhat preoccupied with people's hands. Perhaps it was because of how ingrained it was within their clan—the importance stressed on dexterity and quickness, that strength stemmed primarily from how much chakra you could channel and use to strike. Fingers were lethal tools, palms blunt walls of force.

At an early age, Neji became adept at determining what kind of fighter someone was based primarily off their hands. His uncle was austere in style, executing with severe sharpness. Hinata's had always been soft and gentle, much like her personality. He remembers once, when they are six or seven, he'd caught her delicately caressing the branches of a butterfly bush. Even then, he'd easily dismissed her prowess for any juken technique, eyes lingering distastefully on her tender fingers.

Hanabi's hands are admittedly more like Neji's own. At once, they are punishing and fluid, moving and molding chakra like it is clay, using her palms like a nudging reminder rather than unforgivably brutal. But Neji doubts the Hyuga clan can produce two geniuses in one generation.

Maito Gai's immediately gain Neji's respect, even though their technique is different than his own. Gai has large hands that curl into fists—to knock out opponents or to lift in victory or to extend a thumb in youthful approval.

Rock Lee has long fingers which makes his grasp even more bone-crushingly tight when he and Neji spar together. They are concurrently light as a feather and bone-rattling, delivering sure and certain hits.

And then there's Tenten. Hers are unlike any Neji's ever laid eyes on. At first glance, there are the scars—the long-healed lacerations from blades and wires, from nicks and cuts that had to be medically fixed or healed by time.

Once, when she is fifteen and Neji and Lee are fourteen, Tenten almost slices her thumb clean off. She'd been toying with swords at the time, going through a phase of obsession with the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, and had been hellbent on adding them to her already expansive catalogue. Neji and Lee had been a few feet away making small adjustments to Lee's taijutsu technique, when Tenten had let out a banal, "Shit."

She was always the one more prone to cursing out of the three of them, but something in her flat tone is off enough to cause Neji and Lee to look over. The sword she'd been handling is lying on the grass, her right hand wrapped around her left wrist. She is wincing, her knuckles white. A trail of bright red blood flows down her arm and drips off the point of her elbow.

Lee lets out a loud gasp, and then both boys are moving forward, rushing to Tenten's aid. She shakes her head once and takes a few steps back, looking embarrassed. "It's fine," she mutters, clenching her wrist. "I'm fine. It's just a scratch."

She is cradling her arm to her chest, shying away from their probing. Neji takes a firm step forward and grasps her shoulder, saying, "Let me see."

Tenten flinches from the contact. Up close, Neji notices her slightly trembling, the sweat beading along her hairline. He waits a few seconds, watching as Tenten tries to come up with an excuse to disregard this interruption. But finally, she sighs, not looking at either him or Lee as she holds out her hand.

Neji is revolted to see she's partially severed her thumb from her hand. Gleaming, pink muscle and white bone lie exposed to the air, blood flowing down her arm. Neji tightens his grip on her shoulder. "We have to go to the hospital," he says, brooking no argument. He watches Tenten swallow, her gaze skittering between he and Lee. She nods once in resignation, and they escort her to the emergency room.

Tenten is quiet the entire time the medic attends to her wound, half-listening to Lee's comments about how gifted the medical team is, and how fortunate it is that she hadn't detached the appendage completely. After about twenty minutes of this, growing irritated, Neji snaps at Lee, "Enough." Lee raises his eyebrows, but obliges.

Tenten is released almost an hour later, a small white bandage wrapped around her left thumb. She analyzes it as the three make their way back to the training grounds, finally saying, "Did you know that Biwa Juzo was killed by his own sword, Kubikiribocho? Isn't that sad?"

Neji stiffens at this, unsure of the path Tenten's thoughts have taken. Next to him, Lee replies, "What do you think is sad? That his way of living was ultimately what killed him?"

They reach their previous spot and Tenten crouches down to pick up her abandoned sword, turning it over to examine the blade. Neji notes the spots of blood along the metal edge; his chest clenches. "Yeah," Tenten says. "Seems like a waste, doesn't it? To be killed by something you poured so much of yourself into?"

Neji does not like the way that this day has gone and is ready to move past it. He says sternly, "He was a brutal murderer. He deserved his fate."

Lee and Tenten exchange a look and say nothing more on the subject.

On their way home that day, Tenten discards the bandage, deeming it too fussy for the injury she diagnoses as a mere "paper cut". Neji's mouth twitches with a lecture, but one glance at her thumb has him falling silent. It will forever be scarred, that deep, dark pink of stitched-together flesh. He can still see the suture lines, though those will fade with time. She lifts her hand to brush back her bangs and winces, the digit still tender.

Unbidden, Neji tells her, "You should take a break for a while, from training. At least until your thumb is fully healed."

She looks at him, one eyebrow perched, before replying, "I'm fine. But thanks for the advice, Neji."

The next day, she returns to her swordplay. It makes Neji livid.

* * *

It is not only the scars on her hands that draw Neji's notice. Unlike most members of the Hyuga clan (and a good deal of other shinobi, male and female alike), Tenten's fingernails are atrocious. She finally broke her habit of biting her nails at fourteen, though Neji would still catch her with her hands near her mouth in particularly stressful moments, eyes glazed over, unaware that she is even doing it.

Her nails are constantly uneven, spotted with weapons polish or entrenched with dirt or grime or crusted blood. It is not that Tenten doesn't have good hygiene (Neji would never hesitate to tell her, if he thought so)—she simply uses her hands so much that it is almost impossible to keep them well-kept.

It finally occurs to him one day, when they are sixteen and in the middle of yet another petty argument, that Tenten's literal livelihood rests in her hands. He had criticized her for something stupid, something he doubted he would ever say if he weren't already irritated, and Tenten had unceremoniously grabbed his hand and placed it next to her own. Intent on her demonstration, her mouth an angry slash, she had said, "See? Look at this—these hands, my hands, are ones where my hard work is evident. I don't have eyes to hide behind or some fancy bloodline technique. What you see is what you get." And she'd dropped his hand with more force than was necessary. Silently, Neji had agreed with her and let their argument fade without further comment.

What is intriguing to him about Tenten's hands is their versatility. It soothes him to watch her fingers wipe oil along her blades, taking care of the delicate instruments with gentle precision. It frightens him to see her handle wires, her power precarious like lightning in how she maneuvers the thin strings. When she makes tea, it is with the smooth deftness of having done it dozens of times, as natural to her as holding a kunai. The blunt force she delivers during sparring sometimes takes his breath away.

He begins to wonder what her touch on his face would feel like when he is barely fifteen.

* * *

It is odd. His affection for her doesn't sneak up on him; in actuality, it's always been there, a deep-running admiration that had bloomed into like, into friendship, into unwavering trust—simply stored away for safekeeping, since there was no point in entertaining it while their world was turned on its head.

And then, one midwinter day about three months after the war, Team Gai is eating together (a rare occasion nowadays) and it clicks. Life has changed, and so have his priorities.

He remembers looking at Tenten out of the corner of his eye and feeling that stowed away sentimentality slowly be unearthed, as if it's been dragged up from the ground, like flowers that have waited all winter to finally push into the sunlight, just in time for spring. Her cheeks are bulging from the dumplings she'd stuffed in her mouth, but she catches Neji watching her and raises an eyebrow in question. He had shaken his head, lips pursing at the sudden tightening of his chest. _Dammit_ , he thinks. _Now what am I going to do?_

The possibility of Tenten, not as his teammate or friend but as something else, something Neji hardly has the courage to think about, much less utter aloud, is overwhelming. And terrifying. He feels paralyzed-what can he do, but distance himself even further? He can never forget Gai's warning that time in the woods from nearly two years ago, when he was seventeen. So, as a preventative measure, he fills his open schedule with training his young cousins at the Hyuga compound and meetings with Hiashi and Hanabi and sometimes Hinata, discussing the future of the clan, and yes, training with Tenten—though he avoids their all-day, exhaustive exercises of yesteryear.

But Gai can see it, Neji knows, though his sensei never says anything. Lee can as well, most likely, and Neji is both unsurprised and irritated when his friend finally broaches the subject early that spring. "Neji, when are you going to confess to Tenten?"

Neji skips a stone across the reflecting pool they are sitting beside. The peaceful ripples across the still surface do nothing to ease Neji's annoyance at this conversation. He shakes his head, not meeting Lee's eyes. "I was planning on never."

Lee is silent for a moment, studying the face of the water. "Why not? It would be . . . nice, I think. For you both." Neji almost rolls his eyes but refrains. Lee goes on, "She has become . . . restless. Irritable. Like she needs a distraction."

Neji blinks, mouth tightening. He knows this already; he's seen it for months. Tenten has been unnecessarily volatile of late—developing weapons that he cannot anticipate her using for a long time, her hands constantly fidgeting, diving in and out of projects with lightning-like speed. "I know," he says softly.

"She needs reassurance. That we are still here for her, that we care," Lee says in a decisive tone. "What better way to communicate that than for you to tell her you are in love with her?"

Neji's gaze snaps to his teammate, a surge of conflicting emotions flooding his brain. He settles for a warning. "Mind your own business, Lee."

Lee is usually not so easily deterred, but something in Neji's tone gets him to back off. He does not mention it again in the months that come.

But Neji's predicament follows him around like a thundercloud. A few times, he comes close to saying it . . . simply pushing all his thoughts out of his mouth and into the open. He stops himself each time, concerned that it would be the wrong timing. _Wait_ , he tells himself. _Just wait._

So, he does, for weeks and weeks, he waits. He and Tenten settle into a new routine—with less focus on training and more time spent socializing. It is new, and Neji immediately feels more comfortable with the arrangement. He can feel the camaraderie between them deepening, shifting, and he feels it is only a matter of time until he can make his confession naturally. But then the Hokage sends them to the Land of Hot Water.

Neji senses it when things slide off-kilter, watching as Tenten's eyes slip out of focus, departing to somewhere faraway in her memory. It immediately worries him.

As he and Lee soak in the hot spring, Neji tries to puzzle through what had happened—if Tenten was truly alright or was holding something back. He gets the chance to ask her that evening and is not pleased with her answer.

By the time they return to Konoha, it is consuming a large portion of his thoughts. He goes to the clan gardens, tries to meditate for peace of mind. But her face, with that distant expression, resurfaces over and over again, troubling him.

The night of their return, Neji wakes in his bed, a memory searing across his brain. The details come rushing back to him in sharp relief—the brutality of the torture instituted by the rogue-nin, the descriptions of the wounds on the bodies and minds of their captives, the mention of a young, dark-haired couple who had, unbelievably, birthed a child in the midst of such darkness. His concern for Tenten is instantaneous, knowing she could not anticipate such a history and that it would bring her pain and confusion.

He strides to the clan library in the middle of the night and searches through the books and scrolls there, hunting desperately for the journal he'd found when he was twelve. His rummaging proves fruitless; he returns to bed feeling dejected. As he lies down again, he remembers his uncle requesting the library be cleaned out when he was fourteen, nearly five years prior. Neji groans and presses a hand to his face in frustration. It seems his evidence has vanished like smoke.

* * *

Tenten's preoccupation with her vision and the Land of Hot Water only increases. Following their subsequent spar in the woods and the visit with Hinata to Tenten's apartment, Neji is at a loss for what to do. When the order from the Hokage arrives to accompany Shikamaru to Sunagakure for another diplomacy meeting with the Kazekage, Neji takes it as a reprieve.

"So hot. Such a drag."

Neji spares a glance for Shikamaru as they make their way across the desert. He replies, turning his eyes ahead once more, "You come this way often to meet with the Kazekage. I would have thought you'd be used to it by now."

"Doesn't change the fact that it's hot as hell," Shikamaru mutters back.

Neji smirks and nods in silent agreement.

An hour later, as they are taking a short break, Neji asks him, "You wouldn't ever move here, then? I would have thought you would consider it, since you travel here frequently." Neji lets his unspoken meaning hang in the air.

Shikamaru scoffs. "Everything about living here would be troublesome. Besides, it's not like I wouldn't still have to go back and forth between Suna and Konoha. It would still be the same problem." His brow furrows, dark eyes analyzing the barren stretch of sand laid out before them.

Neji says, not quite hiding his smirk, "You would be with Temari-san though."

Shikamaru glares at him and declares, "Women are more trouble than they should be." He sighs, belabored. "Why can't things be simple for once? I bet Tenten-san never gives you these kinds of issues. If only all teams could have someone as levelheaded as her."

Neji puts his pack back on, eyes downcast as he thinks, _You have no idea._

Neji is distracted for the rest of the afternoon. They are an hour out from Sunagakure when a dusty breeze picks up and blows across the dunes. Shikamaru suggests they stop to take shelter beneath a scraggly copse of trees. Neji agrees. As they sit huddled together, waiting for the sandstorm to pass by, a recollection stirs in Neji's thoughts from long ago:

_"If you ever say that to her again, I'll make sure this won't be the last time I punch you in the face."_

Neji is eight and overseeing an altercation in the Academy's grassy courtyard. Tenten, a fellow classmate who always wears her hair in buns, has just delivered a particularly brutal blow to a bully. Their classmate lies flat on his back, lolling as he looks up at the sky. His eyes are wide in shock.

"Do you understand?" Tenten asks, holding up her fist threateningly. Behind her, another of their classmates, a member of the Aburame clan, hides.

The boy on the ground nods, but Neji can tell it is not out of agreement; his eyes skip to meet Neji's, from where he is standing off to the side. _Weakling_ , Neji thinks coldly.

Satisfied, Tenten nods once and turns, clapping a hand on the Aburame girl's shoulder. "Go on. He won't bother you anymore." The girl whispers a word of thanks and runs off, heading out of the yard. Tenten notices Neji then and raises a dark, commanding eyebrow, as if he too wished to challenge her. But Neji simply gives a shake of his head and continues on his way.

Even at eight, his instructors are already calling him a genius, and Neji can't help but agree with them. His analytical skills are unparalleled among his classmates, and Neji had seen it instantly in the power of her throw and the sharpness of her voice: Tenten had a survivor's ferocity. And Neji was unwilling to test it.

She'd grown softer over the years, of course, her edges being smoothed out by the elderly couple she lived with, the praise of her Academy instructors as she gained proficiency with ninja tools, and the companionship that came with Team Gai. But Neji could still see that flash of old fierceness sometimes, when they sparred or had an argument, the glint in her eyes joyously deadly. He finds it undeniably attractive, sick masochist that he is.

Once, when they are sixteen and experiencing a rare day when they aren't at each other's throats, bickering over something stupid, he catches her dipping her toes in the water of a stream at their training grounds. It is an unnaturally warm spring day and the midday sun beats down, though it is alleviated some by a breeze.

They are taking a "break", but Neji thinks Tenten has already quit for the day, always telling him "five more minutes" when he prompts her to start again. So, he decides to oblige her, just this once. They sit in silence at the edge of the stream, and Neji closes his eyes as he leans his head back against a tree trunk, listening to the birds trilling into the air.

He doesn't know what inspires him to do it. Maybe his hormones have entrenched themselves too deep and have taken control of his body, maybe he only wants to tease her. But one moment, he is sitting quietly, enjoying the day, and the next he has dipped one hand into the stream, cupping water in his palm, and is splashing her.

Tenten reacts instantly, and she does it in the exact way that, deep down, Neji had hoped she would. With the speed and precision that only comes from being a hardworking shinobi, Tenten viciously kicks her foot up out of the water, successfully drenching him. Neji moves out of range, sitting back on his heels as he sweeps his arm once again into the water, sending a spray in her direction.

"You—" She stops abruptly as Neji splashes her again; he barely avoids the downpour she kicks towards him.

Covering his head, Neji attempts to escape through the trees, but Tenten stops him by grasping his sleeve, tugging him back to the stream's edge. She jerks hard, enough to rock his balance, and Neji careens back into her, causing both of them to take a few steps in the shallow water, their feet wet.

She is glaring up at him, her fists clenched in his shirtsleeves, her bangs askew and slightly damp, sticking to her forehead. The desire to kiss her pricks within Neji's chest so sharply that he almost does it—just leans forward and presses his lips to hers.

But reason taps him on the shoulder before he can seize the moment. "Break's over," he tells her, and pulls out of her grasp before he can do something irrevocably foolish.

Tenten sputters. He hears her hand go to the pouch at her waist and turns away to hide a smile. Without sparing a second thought, Tenten sends a kunai whizzing toward his throat. Neji catches it with ease, meeting her eyes, the corners of his mouth twitching.

"I saw that, Neji."

His smirk emerges, and then Tenten looks away from him in frustration. "Are you mocking me?" she asks, only mildly disgruntled.

"Never," Neji replies, smiling. He throws her kunai up in the air and catches it lazily. "I would never."

Tenten raises an eyebrow, imperious. "You sure?"

Neji nods, his face shifting to something more guarded, more serious. He gives her kunai another experimental swing, then tosses it back to her. "Never," he confirms as he walks back up the embankment to their clearing.

He thinks about kissing her up against a tree a handful of times over the next couple of hours they spend training, but he is never brave enough to act on it—then or now.

Neji sighs as the daydream fades. The desert has taken on the deep orange hue of early evening. Neji massages his temple against a growing headache. "Ready?" Shikamaru asks from beside him.

"Yes."

The two boys get to their feet and shake off the dust that had gathered on their clothes. As they begin their journey once more, Shikamaru reveals, "They want me to go to Iwagakure next."

Neji pushes away the memories of Tenten for the moment, giving his attention to his mission partner. "The Tsuchikage is busy rebuilding his city. Why do they want you to go there?"

"Another show of support for unification," Shikamaru waves his hand, as if world peace is a bug that won't stop bothering him. "The Kazekage has a special interest in the Tsuchikage. Or so I'm told."

Neji wonders if this is direct from Gaara's mouth, or if Temari had mentioned it to him on her last visit to Konoha. Aloud he says, "Why won't the Kazekage send his sister then? Since she is his representative?"

Shikamaru does a poor job hiding his blush. He says in a strained tone of voice, "He is. We—we'll go together. She'll come to Konoha a week after we return, and we'll set out from there."

"Ah."

Shikamaru falls silent for the rest of the evening. They reach Sunagakure and the Kazekage welcomes them, stating that they'd waited to serve their meal until their arrival. Neji cannot help but notice Temari's darting looks towards Shikamaru all through dinner. But while Neji doesn't mind being in Suna, all he can seem to think of is Tenten, and the things he'd left unsaid. By week's end, their meetings and tasks finished, Neji does not hesitate to let his desire to return to Konoha be known. Somewhat begrudgingly, Shikamaru agrees, and they leave the next morning.

* * *

Almost from the moment of his return, Neji can feel Tenten pulling him once again into her puzzle. He resists every attempt until he cannot anymore. They fight, bitterly, like they haven't in years, saying things they've never dared to say aloud. In the dark forest, Neji feels like he has already lost, though she is the one whose chakra is sealed. He feels he has no choice but to go to his sensei.

If Gai is surprised to see Neji on his doorstep so late in the evening, he does not show it. He greets him with his usual enthusiasm, ushering him inside his small apartment. Neji waves away the question of if he wants tea or not and takes a seat on the edge of Gai's sofa. He clenches and unclenches his fists, still thinking of that damned kunai pressed against his throat, his lips at Tenten's fingers.

Neji's anger and frustration ebbs, leaving him with an overwhelming sadness. He has let her down and he's hurt her, when that's the opposite of what he wanted. Gai notices his unnatural fidgeting and immediately straightens in his chair. "Neji, what is it?"

The young Hyuga prodigy gazes at his sensei, eyes distant with a memory. "Tenten. She wants to know about her past. And I can't keep holding back from her."

Gai listens patiently as Neji describes everything that had transpired over the last few hours. He waits until Neji drops off abruptly, unwilling to say anymore, then says, "We must tell her the truth, then."

Neji shoots Gai a loaded look, his jaw twitching. "She won't forgive me for this. I took away her right to know about her past, however horrible it is."

Gai watches Neji stand to pace his living room in steady strides, hand running down his face in distress. Calmly, Gai replies, "Neji, I am more to blame that you. I hold the burden of this decision."

Neji shakes his head, casting Gai another quick look of irritation; Gai almost smiles, remembering how often Neji had thrown him that same look as a genin. "She doesn't see it that way," Neji says.

Gai inclines his head at this, not attempting to argue. "Perhaps we have kept the truth from her too long. Maybe we overstepped in seeking to protect her from an unsavory past." A wellspring of tears begins to form in Gai's eyes. "I have let her down. It was a young man's mistake."

Neji stops pacing, raising his eyes to the ceiling in an appeal for help. His chest constricts at the thought of what she'd said to him earlier, about how she wasn't asking him to come with her. "I feel like I'm losing her," Neji says to Gai. "That she's leaving us. . ."

Gai is tight-lipped. "She is our precious flower. We could never lose her. We will always be Team Gai." Neji pinches the bridge of his nose, briefly closing his eyes. Gai says, "Neji, do not let your concern put too much pressure on your relationship. Things have changed, yes. But she is part of us."

Neji says nothing and breathes out a long, low sigh.

Gai continues, "I know you love her. Do not let it blind you in keeping her from where she wants to go."

"I only want to go with her," Neji whispers. His throat bobs as he swallows. "But I'm not certain she will let me, when I tell her what I know. What I've kept from her all these years."

"She will," Gai says with conviction. "She trusts you."

Neji gives a slight shake of his head. "She won't after I tell her what I know."

Gai sighs and folds his hands in his lap, downcast. "It isn't your mistake alone to carry. It is mine as well. I failed her when I was only trying to protect. I will accept whatever punishment she deems fit for my intrusion." When Neji does not reply, Gai maintains with newfound vigor, "She will forgive you. Neither of you are sixteen anymore. She will understand it was done out of love. Out of protection."

Neji decides against informing Gai of just how bitterly he and Tenten had fought over the last few days, a mere shadow of how they had acted a few years ago. _With affection grows ferocity_ , Neji recalls from a meditation book his uncle had often quoted. It does not make him feel better for his choices. "She told me not to go with them tomorrow," he says.

Gai sighs. "She is angry. I think you should go anyway. To make amends."

"What if she sends me away?"

Gai smiles. "When has that ever stopped you before? You have always been incredibly stubborn, from what I can recall."

With a deep exhale, Neji heads for the door, trying to summon his courage.

"Neji," Gai calls as Neji steps out of the apartment into the thick of night. Neji looks back, frowning at the free-flowing tears streaming down his sensei's face. "I was not good to you, on that camping trip a year ago. I was . . . afraid of losing her. Of losing both of you—but mostly her. I'm sorry for that."

Neji leans against the door frame, pushing his hair out of his face. He slowly shakes his head. "I—I knew you loved them more than me. I always knew that. I can see how it seemed like a threat to you—that things could only go poorly." Neji chances a look at Gai, not quite able to meet his eyes. "But she's the most important person in my life. I would rather live all my days unfulfilled in that one respect if it meant she would always be around."

Gai lets out a gross sob. Neji sighs and steps out onto the landing, wanting to distance himself from the overwrought emotional display. "Neji, I doubted you. For so many years I doubted you." Gai presses his hands to his face. "I thought for sure it would end badly. I could feel it in my bones. But Lee was right, and I was wrong to pass judgment on you. This past year—you have proven yourself to me. You didn't need to. It was my own fault, my own sin. You have my blessing, though you and I both know you do not need it."

Neji's chest expands at this, his throat tightening with emotion. "Thank you, Gai-sensei," he whispers, bowing his head.

With renewed spirit, Gai exclaims loudly, "If you are honest, she will forgive you. She knows your heart."

Neji doubts this last statement, but he nods all the same, recognizing that Gai is trying to comfort him. He departs with a wave and walks back to the Hyuga clan slowly, meditating on the best way to return to Tenten's good graces.

His cousins that are guarding the entrance to the grounds eye him curiously when he arrives home, but Neji passes by them without a word. He goes straight to his room and drafts a short explanation to his uncle to leave behind before he departs in the morning.

Mechanically, Neji packs his things for the journey, wondering if Tenten is mirroring the same actions at her apartment, or if she is sleeping still. He finishes quickly and sits back on his heels, staring at the wall, lost in his thoughts.

When his back begins to ache, Neji lies down on his bed and gazes up at the ceiling. A memory resurfaces to the forefront of his mind, an exchange he'd had with Gai ages ago.

They had been twelve or thirteen, Neji can no longer remember the details clearly, and Tenten and Lee had been sparring. Relegated to the sidelines, Neji had stood beside Gai, arms crossed as he studies his two teammates. He had made some comment about Tenten's approach—something denigrating to her skill.

Gai had turned to him sharply, eyes curiously ablaze. "I did not ask for your opinion, Neji. Tenten is precious to me—I will not have you criticize her like that."

Neji's face flushes with embarrassment and shame. He clears his throat and mutters an apology, which Gai receives with a curt nod. Neji does not have the nerve to say that she is precious to him too—that he was only making an analytical observation, but he decides to hold his peace. He watches his teacher out of the corner of his eye and wonders at the love his sensei has for his teammate, like a father protecting a daughter.

Neji's gaze swivels back to Tenten and Lee. She has overtaken him for the moment, unleashing a barrage of metal that Lee dodges, putting distance between them. It is clearly what Tenten had wanted—while Lee is concerned with not being made a pincushion, Tenten has positioned herself behind him. Neji watches as she swings a kusari chain and sends it flying; it wraps around Lee's ankle effortlessly, and he is caught.

Tenten grins in triumph, and Gai breaks from Neji's side, yelling out accolades. Tenten smiles, though her lips waver as she looks past Lee and Gai to consider Neji. Her face is guarded, as usual, her easygoing expression in place. But Neji can see it in her stance, in the way her eyes meet his—she is searching for approval, _his_ approval. He feels even more guilty now than when Gai had rebuffed him only moments ago.

Neji knows that he is not good at delivering compliments; for the longest time, he'd seen them as an obligation to be paid, not something heartfelt. It is not a practice done often by the Hyuga clan; words are used for sufficiency, not edification. But since he'd joined Team Gai, compliments had become almost a way of life. Gai would frequently laud them for their collective and individual accomplishments, esteeming them with flowery, youthful words. Lee also made it a habit, encouragement constantly pouring from his mouth like water from a fountain.

Tenten, admittedly, had more difficulty in communicating praise; it was one thing they had in common: that overflowing positivity did not come naturally to them, favoring honest statements based off observation. But she was more adept at it than he, often stating her approval with a fact-like straightforwardness that Neji admired.

Neji thinks on this as he walks over to his teammates, mulling over in his head the things he wants to say. When he arrives in front of Tenten, she looks almost nervous, as if she is expecting his criticism rather than his praise. Silently, Neji is disappointed with himself, for giving off such an impression to someone he is quickly coming to realize is his closest friend. Under Gai's watchful, narrowed eye, Neji says to her, "I am glad you belong to us."

Tenten's mouth falters, her eyebrow quirking in bemusement. She lightly punches Neji on the shoulder, shaking her head. "You need to work on your congratulations, Neji. Aren't you supposed to be the smart one out of all of us?" She chuckles, bending down to unroll her scroll and place her weapons back inside.

Neji looks to Gai. The older man's expression is still firm, but he gives Neji a small nod anyway.

As the memory fades from his thoughts, Neji exhales at the pain in his chest and rolls over onto his stomach. He thinks of Tenten all night, too agitated to sleep, wading through all the things he longs to say, wondering if they will be enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Two honorable mentions for songs this chapter: [Boomerang](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDjfMI6QvxQ) and [Stuck](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfC5WtzRKiY), respectively, by Imagine Dragons.
> 
> \- As I've mentioned before, I've made up the stuff about the Hyuga clan's succession traditions, since I can't find anything related to it in canon.
> 
> \- The [Warbling White-Eye](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warbling_white-eye) is a bird native to Japan.
> 
> -[Biwa Juzo](https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/J%C5%ABz%C5%8D_Biwa), [Kubikiribocho](https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/Kubikirib%C5%8Dch%C5%8D).
> 
> Thank you for reading/giving kudos/commenting. See you next time!


	13. Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Recap from our last linear chapter: Tenten is transported back to the day she and her parents left captivity to return to Uzushiogakure. Reaching the shore in the Land of Hot Water, her parents begin to cross the ocean with limited chakra, carrying Tenten with them. A summer storm crops up and they are quickly in trouble, their energy expended and too far from shore to return safely. After Tenten's mother disappears underneath the water, Tenten tumbles into the ocean. Her father pulls her out and sends her back to shore with his last remaining strength. She collapses on the beach, holding her father's kunai.
> 
> As the memory fades, Tenten is sick to her stomach, struggling to process what she has seen. Lee points out that the kunai is now glowing even brighter, the emblem of the Land of Whirlpools spinning steadily. Resolute, Tenten leads the boys into the desolate Uzushiogakure, following the map on the kunai. It leads them to what Tenten believes was once her father's forge. After Neji confirms a chakra signature on a fallen beam, Tenten unseals it and a scroll falls into her hands. The three spend the night on Konoha's coast and discuss Tenten's resurfaced memory and the contents of the scroll. When they return to Konoha the following evening, Kakashi welcomes them back, and the three decide to eat dinner together.

* * *

_I_ _f the sky we look upon_

_Should tumble and fall_

_Oh, and the mountains should crumble to the sea_

_I won't cry, I won't cry_

_No, I won't shed a tear_

_Just as long as you stand, stand by me_

_-[Stand By Me, Tracy Chapman](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jakwsneGokg) rendition_

* * *

_**\- seven -** _

Dinner is a raucous affair of five, with Gai and Lee easily talking over each other to drown out any other possible conversation. Tenten watches Lee crack jokes and boast of his accomplishments, clearly trying to impress Mai. The girl giggles devotedly, her dark, almond-shaped eyes crinkling with amusement. It is all very odd.

 _Not odd_ , Tenten quickly corrects. _Just different. It was bound to happen sometime._ She darts a look to Neji, who is silently contemplating his bowl of nishin-soba. She nudges him with her elbow and his eyes flick up to meet hers in question. Tenten opens her mouth to challenge him to a bet—something silly, like how long it would take for Lee and Mai to get engaged, or if Gai could be counted on to be an adequate babysitter, but she hesitates at the bare expression in his eyes.

"What?" he prompts when she continues to stare, saying nothing.

Tenten shakes her head and returns to her food. After a second, Neji does the same. Gai and Lee fill in the silence from their side of the table, seemingly oblivious to the exchange that had been made in front of them.

When dinner is finished, the five of them walk out into the balmy night. Tenten laughs with Mai as Lee does a handstand, poised on his fingertips. Gai attempts to do the same, intending to bring his wheelchair along with him, before Neji intercedes, setting his hands firmly on the handles of his wheelchair. "Neji, my pupil, do not hold your teacher back from showing Lee how it's done!" Gai exclaims.

Neji sighs heavily, put upon, as he replies, "You'll injure yourself further. Let Lee show off for once."

"I heard that, Neji!" Lee says, falling back to his feet. He grins at his rival and then makes a show of holding his arm out for Mai to take. "May I walk you home?"

Mai blushes becomingly and nods, waving at the rest of Team Gai as she takes Lee's arm. Lee shouts at them as they saunter off, "Goodnight!"

Tenten holds her hand up in goodbye, watching them walk away into the evening. Her heart thuds in anticipation. She glances at Neji and finds him already looking at her, wearing that same expression from dinner. And she knows, before he even says it aloud, that he wants to walk her home—like Lee is doing with Mai.

Her cheeks redden and she presses her lips together, trying to ignore the fluttering in her gut. Neji opens his mouth to speak, gaze unwavering, but Gai interrupts him and says, "Tenten, will you walk home with me, please?"

Tenten glances at her sensei in surprise. He looks back at her, unperturbed, as if this is the most natural thing in the world. From behind him, Tenten can see Neji's furrowed eyebrows, clearly dissatisfied with being thwarted. "Sure, Gai-sensei," Tenten answers, moving to take hold of his wheelchair.

She turns him towards the direction of his apartment and begins pushing. "Goodnight, Neji!" Gai calls out happily as they pass him.

Neji does not reply, eyes trained on Tenten in silent confusion. She smiles and shakes her head. "See you," she murmurs.

They are several feet away when Neji finally replies with a bemused, "Goodnight."

* * *

Gai's apartment is not far from where they've eaten, though he needs some assistance getting up the stairs to the second level. As Tenten is spotting his progress up the steps he says, "Tell me about your trip. Did you find what you wanted?"

Tenten huffs as she pushes Gai up the final ledge onto the second-floor landing. She inhales a deep breath, hands on her hips, as she studies her teacher, busy unlocking his front door. _So, I guess we're doing this now,_ she thinks reservedly. With a sigh, she follows Gai into the apartment and shuts the door behind her.

She settles on the floor by his armchair—her favorite spot ever since their genin days. Gai does a circuit around the living room, expending some energy, before coming to pause by the entrance to his small kitchen. Tenten wraps her arms around her legs and gazes at her teacher, all her frustrations momentarily resurfacing in her mind. She shakes her head and asks curtly, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Gai shifts in his wheelchair for a moment, face downcast. "Think of it as a father protecting his daughter. I didn't want to bring to mind terrible things."

Tenten laughs humorlessly. "You realize that wasn't your choice, don't you? I—after Baachan and Jiichan died, I had to take care of myself. On my own. That was two whole years before Team Gai—before you even knew I existed. Why didn't you trust me enough? That information belonged to me."

"You have always been the student that I've been most . . . protective over," Gai explains. "Neji has his family, as complicated as it is, and Lee is so . . . well, like me, that it is easy to understand his needs. But you were a riddle to me, even at twelve. It did not seem fair to me to tell you something so horrifying, at such a young age." Gai pauses for a moment, then says. "I was even younger than you were when we lived through terrible things during the Third Shinobi War. I did not think you deserved the same. I was unwilling to be the bearer of that news."

Tenten treats him to a hard look, unflinching. "I handled a lot of things from a young age. I don't see how you not telling me about my parents seems so troubling. You withheld something important from me."

Gai sighs. "When Neji came to me, my intent was to research it myself, to support his evidence. But I never found anything about those ninja in Konoha's library, and I couldn't only take Neji's word for it, since he couldn't bring me the book. I even thought of asking Hiashi-sama permission to view the Hyuga clan's library, but how would I have explained that? I would have willingly placed Neji in a compromising situation. He was not on good terms with his uncle then."

Tenten clenches her hands tighter around her legs, part of her not wanting to understand, to hold onto her grudge. Gai continues, head bowed, "I have earned your anger. But I did not do it with the intention of hurting you. I only wanted to protect you. We both did."

"You shouldn't have kept it from me," Tenten murmurs sternly.

"It was a young man's error, Tenten," Gai confesses pleadingly. "I was only a few years older than you are now, when I took on the three of you. I didn't have any clue of how to raise three children, displaced like you all were."

Tenten twists a section of her bangs around a finger, thoughtful. "I never thought of you as clueless," she says. "Just . . . weird. And annoying sometimes."

Gai releases a dimmed smile. "You and Neji laughed at me behind my back. I know you both disliked my methods, most of the time."

"We were kids," Tenten defends half-heartedly. "But at the end of the day, you know we would follow you anywhere."

Gai's dark eyes fill with emotion. Tenten smiles tightly, wrestling with the anger and sympathy she feels towards her teacher. Jokingly, she mutters, "I can't believe you and Neji agreed on something for once."

Gai shakes his head, frowning deeply. "He was afraid, Tenten. I will never forget the day he told me of what he discovered. You know Neji—he didn't think it was his place to mention it, but he would have never forgiven himself if he hadn't told someone."

"He overstepped," Tenten says, nodding.

"We both had your best interests at heart." At Tenten's raised eyebrow, Gai backtracks. "Because he wanted to protect you," Gai tacks on, eyes still shining. "Like we all do."

"I'm not some fragile flower, Gai-sensei," Tenten replies sharply, irritation flashing across her face.

"No," Gai agrees reluctantly. "You have proved to us all over the years that you are strong as steel." He pauses for a moment, moving his chair back-and-forth. "But you will always be precious to me. You are my daughter, even if we do not share the same blood." He looks down at his hands, folded in his lap. "I am sorry for my decision, all those years ago. It was not the right one, though I thought it was at the time."

Tenten swallows, wincing at the lump in her throat. She picks at lint on his armchair, leans her head against its side. "I found out a lot, on the journey. I saw . . . another memory. I think I've repressed it all these years. . . And I was right—the lines on the kunai were a map. It led us to a scroll, sealed inside a beam in Uzushiogakure."

Gai raises his eyebrows. "What was in the scroll?"

Tenten hesitates, rolling the ball of lint between her calloused fingers. She answers in a hush, "You won't believe it. . . It was a trial log, of sorts . . . of fuinjutsu techniques—pairing seals with weapons, fusing chakra into objects. The kunai must have been one of them. It was all handwritten—like a list of ideas half-thought through." She shrugs, still wrestling with her disappointment over the find.

"Tenten, that is wonderful news."

She lifts her eyes to her sensei, questioning. "Is it? I thought . . . I thought it would be a family tree, at least. Something to tell me who I came from, what I'm made of." She shakes her head, sighing heavily. "I don't even know my parents' names, sensei. All I have of them are half-memories and a few instructions on paper. I don't even know if it actually belonged to my father."

"Well," Gai says lightly, "you know more now than you did a few weeks ago."

"And it's all I'll ever know," Tenten retorts fiercely. "All of the records on the Land of Whirlpools were written ages ago, before I was born. There's nothing new to uncover. . . Their history-and mine-is lost to time."

Gai straightens in his chair, giving Tenten a stern gaze. "Our parents do not dictate our future, Tenten. Our past does not tell us who we will be. You make that choice yourself."

"How have I not become exactly like my father?" she demands, clenching her fist. "I am a weapons specialist, a fuinjutsu user. I'm—I didn't even _know_ him and I'm just like him. And my mother—I don't even know what parts of me are hers. I never really knew them. They took care of me until I was four, like Baachan and Jiichan, but that's it. All I have are pieced together memories, from a child's mind."

Gai slowly dismisses this with a shake of his head. He wheels his chair over and takes her chin in his hand, tilting it so she will look up. "Perhaps you have great proficiency with weapons or fuinjutsu because of your parents and your heritage, perhaps not. But I know without a doubt that who you are today is because of the choices that _you_ have made, not because of anyone else. You are the brightest kunoichi in all the Leaf village, and I will go to my grave saying so."

Tenten's eyes prick. "Well, I'm far from legendary," she says, laughing softly.

Gai is having none of it. He grips her chin with renewed pressure. "You are legendary in your own way. You always have been—you just do not see it as clearly as we do." He softens his hold, wheels his chair back a little to give her space. "When you gave up your dream to become a medic, I could see your disappointment. You thought you weren't achieving what you had set out to do." Gai smiles tightly and shrugs. "Unfortunately, that is life. Look at Neji, look at me. Even Lee. We have all had our share of misfortunes. But what makes a legendary ninja is how they overcame obstacles, not how they were defeated by them."

Tenten matches Gai's grin, trying to keep her chin from wobbling with emotion. She takes a few deep breaths to calm the turmoil in her heart, feeling lighter with each exhale.

Gai watches her a few moments, then finally prompts, dark eyes sparkling with mischief, "And what of our young prodigy?"

Tenten's guard immediately goes up. She turns her eyes back to the lint ball in her palm. "What about him?" she mutters, eyes narrowing.

Gai releases a booming laugh. "He has always had a soft spot for you, ever since you were genin. He has never seen you as deficient."

Tenten snorts, recalling the number of times over the years Neji had said as much, to her face. Gai gives her a knowing look. "Perhaps he has never been subtle in criticism, but Neji has great respect for you. He always has."

Tenten scoffs. "And? What does that have to do with anything?"

Gai sends her a meaningful wink. "The youthful bloom of love has finally grown to maturity."

Tenten's face heats in embarrassment. She chuckles, trying to brush it away. "You need to find a better hobby than matchmaking."

Gai gives her another shrewd look. "You're afraid, then. That it will change things."

"It will," Tenten brusquely replies, fiddling with a spare shuriken she'd withdrawn from her pocket.

"For good, perhaps."

"There's nothing wrong with the way things are now," Tenten shrugs.

Gai sighs, eyeing her with a renewed sharpness. "You have always shied away from change. Even more so after the war. Perhaps I didn't train you completely in the ways that would be beneficial to you."

Tenten absently digs a metal point into her pant leg. Her skin aches dully at the pressure. "I have no problem with adaptability."

"Of course not—you are the Weapons Mistress. But in your personal life, you are woefully unrelenting. Even when Neji made jonin before you and Lee, you were sullen for months."

"I was jealous," Tenten defends coolly.

"Yes," Gai cedes, nodding. "But it was deeper than mere envy. You viewed his promotion as the first crack in the schism of Team Gai."

Tenten looks up at him then, her mouth pursed tightly. Gai stares back calmly, dark eyes steady. "Us—Team Gai, a makeshift family, maybe, but a family all the same. It makes sense that you would see it as a threat. Perhaps that's why it took so long for you to turn your attention to your past, Neji's and my interference notwithstanding," he says after a lengthy pause. "You didn't want to change anything, to tear apart everything you held dear about yourself."

Tenten sits stiffly, clutching the shuriken tightly in her palm. "That's some assumption, Gai-sensei," she mutters. "I told Neji, and I'll say the same thing to you: you shouldn't assume anything concerning me."

Gai nods in acceptance, lips stretching into an enigmatic grin. "My question is what will you do now? That you know more about yourself?"

"I don't know."

Gai turns his wheelchair around slowly, head tilted in consideration. "Darui-san's offer still stands, I presume?" Tenten nods, thinking back to Darui's promise to train her in the Treasured Tools. "Well, maybe you could start there."

"With the Treasured Tools?" Tenten asks. "There's no war, Gai-sensei. Hell, there aren't even missions to go on."

"Perhaps not now," Gai admits. "But it is clear to me that the scroll you found was begun for a purpose—to document. Your skill with research is unparalleled. What's stopping you from finishing the work, and adding to it your own?"

Tenten thoughtfully rolls the shuriken across the floor. When she looks up at him, Gai is smiling faintly. He says, voice content, "I am happy with who you have become."

Tenten cannot help but smile back.

* * *

In the morning, Tenten's plan is to find Neji. However, before she can make it to the Hyuga compound, she runs across a jubilant-looking Lee.

"I am in love, I think!" he declares, taking Tenten's hands and gripping them tightly in his own. He releases her and spins away, eyes bright. Wincing, Tenten shakes out her hands from Lee's bone-crushing grip.

"Well, that was fast," she says, amused. "Is she really that special?"

"Yes," Lee replies firmly, making direct eye contact. "Mai is the most special person I have ever met."

Tenten crosses her arms over her chest, watching as Lee does a series of back flips. "You'll throw your back out," she comments with an arched eyebrow.

Lee laughs aloud and rights himself, setting his arms on his hips. "Shall we go for a walk? I am too excited to stand still."

Tenten thinks about explaining her errand but decides against it—she could always talk with Neji later. She nods and Lee sets off, steering her towards one of the parks. Energized, Lee races up a grassy knoll. Tenten follows at a slower pace, enjoying the summer breeze that sweeps across the hill. She sits down at the top and sprawls, leaning back on her hands as she looks out over the city.

It is high summer now, with bright sunshine almost every day and sweltering heat. Everything is green and lively. From afar, she can hear the distinct sound of children coming from the Academy grounds. She absently wonders what they are being taught today.

Lee finally settles next to her, lying down on his back to stare up at the sky. Clouds drift lazily across the bright stretch of blue. Contentedly, he says, "What do you think you are going to do with the scroll?"

Tenten hums, mulling over what Gai had mentioned the previous night. "Gai-sensei thinks I should start learning the fuinjutsu in it and begin adding my own." She shrugs. "Maybe I will. It's not like there's much else for me to do nowadays."

"Are you happy with what you discovered?"

She sighs, picking at blades of grass. "I wish there were more. It seems almost like a waste, to travel there and find out there isn't anything left. I wish I knew who my parents were—their names, or their clan. Who they were before they had to live through the hell those missing-nin put them through."

Lee thinks for a moment. "Well, you are related to Uzumaki Naruto, are you not? Your parents being from the Land of Whirlpools?"

Tenten's eyes widen and she emits a short bark of laughter. She lays down beside Lee, lacing her fingers over her stomach. "I guess you're right. We're probably really distant cousins, though. We look nothing alike, and I'm clearly not an Uzumaki."

"A relative is a relative," Lee says.

Tenten nods loosely, considering this possibility. "I've been kind of miserable, actually," she confesses softly, "over the last few months. After the war, it felt like . . . I was losing everything, even Team Gai. Like everything I had was slipping away, and I was drowning."

Lee nods knowledgeably. Tenten goes on, "But . . . you and Neji and Gai-sensei, you never let me sink beneath the waves. You . . . supported me, even when I was being insufferable."

"You are my teammate and friend. My sister. I would never let you walk a path alone," Lee says plainly.

Tenten's lips twitch with a not-quite smile. "You're going to make me cry," she sniffs, brushing her knuckles against her eyes.

"I wondered after the war," Lee says distantly, "who we would all become, since everything had changed. But . . . we are Team Gai at the end of the day, no matter if things are different or not." Lee sits up suddenly, face serious as he gazes down at her. "It is what we do best as Team Gai. Move forward, and do not dwell on the past. Stronger than we were yesterday." He pauses, raising a bushy eyebrow at her. "It is what you do best too."

Tenten scoffs. Lee shakes his head. "You should learn to accept compliments, Tenten."

Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she switches back to what Lee had said a while before, when she met him on the road. "So. You're in love with Mai-san?"

"Yes," Lee says with unarguable certainty.

Tenten smiles and closes her eyes, feeling the warmth of the sun on her face. "That's nice. How did you know?"

Lee is quiet for a moment. Tenten cracks open an eye to see him staring off into the distance, pensive. "She makes me feel as if I can do anything," he says simply.

Tenten's forehead furrows. "Lee, you've always felt like you could do anything," she points out, confused.

"Yes," he agrees wistfully. "But I mean that . . . I feel that all my accomplishments hold more weight now, not only for myself, but for her. For our . . . future. She accepts me completely for who I am."

Tenten imagines an older Lee, a baby strapped to his chest as he jogs around the village, Mai cheering him on. She cracks a grin. Lee catches it and beams back, before asking mischievously, "What about Neji?"

Tenten groans, throwing an arm over her face. "Not this again," she mutters. "First Gai-sensei, now you."

Simply, Lee states, "He has loved you since we were genin. Did you know that?"

Tenten brushes this off, scoffing. "You don't know what you're talking about, Lee."

"I do," Lee retorts, a small smile on his lips.

Tenten rolls her eyes, stomach churning in anticipation. "Oh yeah? How? Neji would never admit something like that, even if it were true."

Lee confidently begins a set of sit-ups. "He did not have to tell me. I can see it clearly on his face when he is around you."

Tenten snorts, thinking of the sharp look of disdain Neji had thrown her the previous day on their way back, when she'd accidentally stomped on the back of his heel. "Yeah, he's clearly head-over-heels."

Lee senses her sarcasm but remains smiling. He sighs happily. "You two are always the same. It is comforting."

Tenten recalls what Gai had said the night before, about change—what was welcome and what was not. She slowly gets to her feet and wordlessly, Lee joins her. They tromp down the hill and as Tenten makes to resume her errand to the Hyuga compound, Lee pulls her into a hug. In her ear, he whispers, "You are our most youthful flower. Please never forget that."

He steps away with a jaunty wave and then is gone in a flash, speeding off to meet whatever challenge is next. Tenten watches him go, feeling her fondness for him deepen into a tangible, unchangeable thing.

* * *

The Hyuga compound had always seemed deceptive to Tenten. On approach, it was a formidable looking place, with a dark wooden fence that surrounded the property, reinforced with stone gateposts. There were often sentries placed at the entrance, usually branch members, who could see any visitors approaching from afar off.

But once inside, the imposing outward appearance fell away to reveal beautiful, well-tended gardens and simple, polished wood verandas. Though Tenten had rarely been invited inside any of the rooms, she had had the privilege of walking on the porches. The paper screens were delicate, lovely things; it gave Tenten satisfaction to let her fingers trail along the patterns when she walked past.

As she draws nearer, she is surprised to see that Neji is already waiting for her, leaning up against the wall, arms crossed. She hopes he hadn't been watching her this whole time, and blushes at the possibility that he might have been.

She waves as she gets within earshot, and Neji nods in response, face schooled in impassivity. He speaks before she can, explaining, "I was coming to find you when I saw you on the road."

Tenten's fingers tug at her pockets, searching for something to play with, but her hands come up empty. She lets them hang at her sides loosely. "Oh yeah? What for?" she asks.

Neji's expression shifts slightly. "There was something I wanted to . . . confess."

Tenten's face immediately floods with color, heart pounding. Gai and Lee's words come rushing back, swimming around her brain. "What?" she prompts, a little breathless.

Neji looks distinctly uncomfortable. He frowns, glancing at the ground for a moment, before saying, "I lied to you that day—about the Infinite Tsukuyomi."

Tenten's chest deflates. She squints at him, recalling the conversation from nearly a year before. "Why?"

Neji adopts a sheepish look. "I didn't want to tell you what I saw."

Tenten frowns, raising an eyebrow. "And what did you see?"

Neji sighs, resigned. "I—it was springtime. We were older, around Gai-sensei's age. And we were . . . walking out on the main road in Konoha. I think we were going to visit Lee and Gai-sensei, maybe. We passed Hinata-sama and Naruto, my uncle. . . It seemed like we passed the whole village. But you said something, and I took your hand." Neji won't meet her eyes, looking determinedly away. "It was. . . Well, it was just a dream."

Tenten hums, studying him closely. "Why did you lie in the first place? That sounds like a nice dream."

Neji's face slowly warms with color. He will not meet her eyes. "I—I didn't want you to get the wrong impression." He coughs.

"Which was?" she asks, taking a small step forward. She looks in his eyes—really looks. Neji, the boy with haughtiness in his bloodline eyes; Neji, the infuriatingly stubborn but compassionate teenager; Neji, the quiet and gentle man. _"I would do anything for you. You know that, right?"_

In a rush of confidence, she says, before he can answer, "You know, Gai-sensei and Lee happened to mention you're in love with me."

Neji stiffens for a moment, then relaxes, rolling his eyes. "It would benefit them to mind their own business for once."

Tenten's blood surges with pleasure at this response—far from a denial. She eyes him carefully. Neji stares back, unwavering. She takes another step closer to him, swallowing. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"

The flush on Neji's cheeks deepens. His gaze darts away for a moment, then returns in earnest. A smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth, a flash of his old arrogance. "You're . . . intimidating," he tells her.

Tenten rolls her eyes and lightly punches him on the arm. "Stop teasing. I'm being serious."

Neji shifts his footing. He looks away from her, a wry smile on his lips. It is bright, the summer sun having deepening the colors of the surrounding trees and grass. A breeze picks up and stirs the loose hair framing Neji's face. "I was waiting. For the right opportunity," he finally says. His eyes flit back to Tenten's, gauging her response.

Tenten feels light, as if she were a feather on the wind, or floating in a pool, completely weightless. She says with a short laugh, "Logical as ever, Neji."

He lifts a shoulder in a half-shrug. Tenten tilts her head to the side in contemplation. Neji's expression is suddenly wary, lips pursed. She leans in until they are a breath apart, holding his gaze seriously.

Neji mutters softly, "Ten, things will—"

"Change?"

Neji shifts again. Tenten feels his exhale of breath on her face. She opens her mouth and says, "Don't you think we've been through enough, that we know each other well enough, to overcome any obstacle together?"

Neji swallows and gives a brief nod. "Yes."

"Then why put it off any longer?"

Tenten watches as Neji's expression alters, softening, the skin around his eyes crinkling with curiosity and amusement. Tenten sets a hand on his cheek, her thumb brushing the underside of his jaw. Neji breathes in slowly. "Things are bound to be different now," she whispers, her breath caressing his face, "but . . . in some ways, maybe they will be better."

Neji's hand drifts up, long fingers spreading across the nape of her neck and into her hair. To Tenten, it feels heavenly. She does not feel the need to say anything else for the moment—they will have time later, to discuss what this means. For now, she is content to kiss him, and so she does.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- From what I've read about [bukijutsu](https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/Bukijutsu), chakra is used to coat the outside of a weapon. What I described in the scroll is a somewhat different technique, instead using fuinjutsu to trap an amount of chakra within objects or weapons to accomplish a certain purpose. If this is a misunderstanding of bukijutsu/fuinjutsu/chakra, and therefore an unimpressive find, you have my apologies!
> 
> \- I'm sure most of you picked up on this, but Lee's romance with Mai is a set-up for [Metal](https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/Metal_Lee) to be born, since he most likely would need to be born within the next year or so in canon-verse to coincide with the beginning of Boruto.
> 
> \- Did anyone remember Tenten and Neji's conversation from Interlude Three? If you did, kudos to you!
> 
> This has definitely been my favorite chapter to write to date. Hope you enjoyed it too. :)
> 
> Only two more chapters and we are done! T_T Let me know if you have Thoughts with a Comment! See you next time!


	14. Interlude Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: PLEASE READ - This interlude is the longest and darkest installment for this fic. Primarily, it contains references to grief, mental illness, torture, and abuse. There is also a sentence that references terminating pregnancy, and of experimentation on a pregnant woman. If you would not like to read about any of those things, please skip this interlude altogether - it will not hurt your overall understanding of the fic or of our final chapter.

* * *

_Those who are dead are not dead_

_They're just living in my head_

_-[42, Coldplay](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez6eauLcOuc)_

_Often I wonder why I try hoping for an end_

_Sorrow weighs my shoulders down_

_And trouble haunts my mind_

_But I know the present will not last_

_And tomorrow will be kinder_

_-[Tomorrow Will Be Kinder, The Secret Sisters](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfR9qrPwoAQ)_

* * *

_**\- interlude seven: ryu & shion -** _

Ryu is nine when his father first takes him into the forge.

At first, he believes that today will be yet another day watching his father from the counter top that partitions the workshop, the farthest he is allowed to go. Once, when he was five or six, his father had caught him covered head to toe in soot early one morning. Ryu had snuck out of bed before even the rest of his family had risen and was 'playing forge' before his father had come in and interrupted. After that unfortunate event, Ryu was banished from the inner sanctum of his father's workshop, permitted only to sit on the stool at the counter where inquiring customers were received.

But Ryu quickly realizes that today will not be like all the other days. Upon reaching the forge, his father ushers him past the counter and to the furnace at the back. Ryu watches with sharp brown eyes as his father starts a fire and prepares the metals he will be using for the day. He stands up a little straighter as his father turns to him, a stern expression on his shadowy, lined face. "There is trouble brewing in the world, Ryu. We have to be prepared."

Ryu blinks, suddenly anxious. He had heard, of course, about the growing animosity between the Five Great Nations. He had been young, younger than he is now, when he had learned of the First Shinobi War's conclusion. But though their island is fairly peaceful, separated as it is from the mainland, the stories of battles and bloodshed still reached Whirlpool's shores. _The other shinobi nations were bloodthirsty_ , many said. _The only ally we have is Konoha_ , stated others.

But Ryu, though he desired very much to know about the world across the ocean, was often rebuffed by his mother and father. _"Why should you care about other nations when ours is the greatest? The strongest nation that ever was?"_ his father would say when Ryu would ask about other lands. Even at nine, Ryu was perceptive. After the third or fourth time of introducing these subjects and being spurned, he'd stopped mentioning it.

"Ryu, are you listening?" his father asks, gaze narrowed.

Ryu straightens to attention and nods in silence. His father eyes him for a moment before continuing, "You will help me now, in the forge."

Ryu nods again, biting his lip against the surge of excitement in his veins. Besides his aspiration to become a ninja, joining his father in the forge was Ryu's greatest wish. He answers in a level tone, "Yes, Father. I am honored."

"We will be the pride of Uzushiogakure," his father says with a stately nod. "Now, pay attention."

Ryu moves closer to the furnace as his father gathers his tools, begins to teach him the trade. A leaden resolve settles in his gut as he listens. When his father sets the hammer in his palm, Ryu feels the weight of its responsibility.

He proves himself to be a very quick learner.

* * *

He'd always thought he would be a shinobi. The well of energy that pooled in his stomach, that encouraged him to perform 'tricks' for his friends and younger brothers, Ryu knew it for what it was. But he was the eldest. And in his parents' eyes, the eldest son was the one responsible for carrying the family legacy.

He pushes back against this a few times. By the time he is eleven, the excitement of the forge has worn off. He spends his days crouching in front of the furnace, arms aching with each hit of the hammer. When his father is not ordering him to stoke the fire, or shaping the metal around the anvil, or emptying the slack bucket, Ryu will sneak out a few of the weapons his father constructs and practice with them. He becomes very good at hitting marks, making neat little slashes on nearby buildings and trees.

But his dream of being a ninja follows him around like a lost dog. On his way back from delivering swords and locks and all manner of things to customers throughout the island, Ryu often pauses to watch young shinobi train in the ninja arts. He listens, on the outskirts, to teachers give instruction on how to control chakra, to form it to one's will, to mold it into something worth using.

It reminds him of his father's lessons from the forge—to strike while the metal is hot so it can be shaped, to stoke the fire to keep the flames burning. But Ryu's will remains cool and dark within his gut, unable to be molded into something worth using.

He turns fourteen and the world is in the thick of the Second Shinobi War. Ryu wishes he were in the middle of it all, instead of stuck in the back of the forge, keeping the fires going as his father crafts weapon after weapon for the Land of Whirlpools.

He longs for an escape—from the life that has been laid out for him by his mother and father, from the heavy weight of shouldering responsibility for his younger brothers. Ryu finds himself stopping to watch his peers train as shinobi even more than usual. They are few now—most have been sent off to other countries for sabotage missions, for reconnaissance. The only ones that remain are relegated to guard duty, eagerly awaiting their turn to join the fight.

One day in early autumn, during a time when skirmishes were frequent with the Five Great Nations, Ryu is sitting on the hill watching the young ninja when he spots _her_.

It is not the first time his eyes have caught on the slight girl, but it is the first time he's seen her looking back. Her name is Shion. He'd heard a gaggle of her friends calling out her name once as she'd attempted to perform some jutsu, and it had struck Ryu in the chest like one of the arrows his father has taught him to craft in the forge. It means aster, one who does not forget. And in some ways, Ryu thinks that is the true magic of Shion—she is unforgettable.

One evening, he is sitting on the hill again, exhausted from another sweat-soaked day in the forge, when a group of ninja pass by. Shion is among them, standing out like a firebrand. She catches his eye and pauses, letting her friends overtake her. A girl in their group looks back and stops, squinting up at Ryu. "Shion?" she calls.

Shion waves her on, tucking a strand of long dark hair behind her ear. "You go on ahead. I'll catch up."

Shrugging, the girl obliges and continues with her friends, leaving Shion behind. Ryu swallows as he considers her, unused to this kind of unwarranted attention—what could she have to say to him?

Shion, it seems, is also a little shy. She crosses her arms across her chest and asks confusedly, "Why aren't you joining us? For training? And guard duties?"

Ryu's eyebrows furrow. "I have to help my father. In the forge," he explains.

Shion's mouth tilts downward. Ryu notices that her eyes are a bright amber color. It reminds him of the embers that burn in the furnace, clear and without impurity. "But you have ninja capabilities? I've seen you using chakra on your deliveries."

Ryu flushes at the knowledge that she has been watching him, apparently enough to see his tricks a few times, by the sound of it. Shion flushes but does not look embarrassed by revealing this information. Slowly, Ryu answers, "My parents need me to help in the forge. To make weapons for the war. I don't have time to train like you and the others do."

"But you have talent," Shion continues, looking very dismayed.

Ryu attempts a smile. "Well, that's nice to hear, I guess."

"I'll teach you. Stand up," Shion commands. Her arms drop to her sides to settle on her hips. Ryu can't help but notice it increases how intimidated he feels by her.

"No, that's okay. I should get back to help my father shut down for the night," Ryu replies, getting to his feet.

Shion eyes him carefully. "Just a quick thing, then," she decides. She holds out her palms and Ryu watches as a mist of energy rises up from Shion's skin, engulfing her hands. "Do it," Shion commands, nodding to Ryu.

Ryu shakes his head. "I don't know how to do—"

"You've molded it to your feet before—I've seen you do it. Now do the same to your hands."

Sighing, Ryu holds his hands out in front of him, palms open. Shion instructs, "Channel the energy to the center of your palm and then let it spread."

Ryu tries, but feels nothing other than stupid. Before he can tell her so, Shion says, "Close your eyes. Feel it in your gut."

He eyes her. Shion stares back for a long moment, then gives him a single encouraging nod. Ryu sighs and shuts his eyes, reaching down for that ball of energy within his gut. It wells up within him as if answering a siren's call, easily filling him with adrenaline. When he opens his eyes, he feels as if his entire body is awash with power. Shion has lowered her arms and is gazing at him in shock, eyebrows raised. Slowly, Ryu feels the chakra ebb and slip away, returning to that small knot in the pit of his stomach.

"Tomorrow," Shion says decisively.

Ryu quirks an eyebrow at her. "Tomorrow what?"

"Meet me here tomorrow. I'll teach you everything I learn during training. You're too talented to be stuck in a forge your whole life." With that, she parts from him, waving over her shoulder, as she continues on her way, to catch up with her friends.

Ryu walks back to the forge in a daze. When his father asks him why he took so long to return, Ryu can give no answer.

* * *

Shion presents herself as an unforgiving tutor.

While Ryu is not untalented, nor particularly slow to learn, Shion has a strange way of making him feel like the dumbest person she's ever had the displeasure of meeting.

"No," Shion says one day, smacking her forehead in exasperation.

They are on a remote section of beach, far from the prying eyes of her friends and his father's associates. Ryu pauses from where he is crouched on the ground, hands poised with the appropriate seal. He had just attempted to form a water clone from the nearby ocean to shield him from Shion's assault but had not moved fast enough. Ryu absently touches his ear; it is wet with blood from the nick caused by Shion's kunai—a weapon he had most likely forged, funnily enough.

Shion takes a deep breath and then nods, resuming her offensive stance. She nods at him. "Try again."

This time, Ryu does not wait until Shion starts moving before attempting to summon his clone. It is difficult, sweat beading along his brow as he mutters the jutsu aloud, fingers blurring. At the ocean's edge, a globular form of water emerges and then crashes back onto the beach. Ryu curses under his breath.

Ryu chances a glance up at Shion. She unwinds a set of shuriken strung along a stretch of wire. Her eyes flash as she considers him, and then she is running, full speed towards him, eyes narrowed in determination.

Ryu begs the sea to cooperate. A pounding ache forms behind his eyes, insistent as he winds his chakra tighter within his gut, urging it to surge upward.

Shion is almost on him before the water moves again, this time forming a distinctly human-sized form. It trembles tumultuously, like an ebbing tide, before departing from the water to shield Ryu. Crouched on the ground, still concentrating, he grins in disbelief.

When he can tell that Shion has paused her advance, Ryu lets the water clone crash onto the sand. No longer obscured through the watery form, Ryu can make out Shion's grin. She winks at him and says, "See? I knew you could do it."

Ryu smiles back and gets to his feet, amazed. Shion reaches out, one finger tracing his ear that she'd sliced open. Shion hums, "Sorry about your ear. Maybe next time don't make them so sharp, forge-boy."

Suddenly bashful, Ryu looks away, running a hand through his hair. He answers, "I wouldn't be much of a weapons-maker if they were all dull blades."

A smile quirks at Shion's mouth. Under her breath, as they head up from the beach, she says, "You're much more than a mere weapons-maker."

Ryu pretends not to hear.

* * *

A few months later, Shion is sent away to the mainland with other shinobi from Whirlpools for tactical defense. Ryu does not get the chance to say goodbye.

His mood darkens over the next few years. His father relegates him to the forge near-constantly to keep up with the village's demand for defensive tools. There is no time to play at being ninja, even though Ryu had stopped viewing it as a game long ago.

He can see the work of his hands, how it helps the village, how it protects his countrymen. But the island is small, and those that aren't elderly or children, wonder each day at the violence of the war and when it will finally arrive at the doorstep of their tiny nation.

Some choose to leave, for various reasons: for a quieter life, for protection in one of the larger, greater ninja nations, for fear of what is to come. It is no secret that the Land of Whirlpools is one of the smallest lands, though it boasts many natural defenses. His father speaks of these so-called defectors as weak, spineless—lovers of themselves rather than true blood relatives. This talk makes Ryu angry, because deep in his heart, he longs to leave as well.

He is on the cusp of seventeen and the world seems so much larger and exciting than the small island he calls home, where every day he must sit next to a blazing furnace, forging weapon after weapon that he will never have the chance to use himself apart from target practice behind the forge. He aches for action, craves new scenery.

Ryu bides his time for a year, mentally making plans. One day, as he is walking to the forge with his father, he summons his courage and announces, "Tomorrow I will go to the mainland for a time. To see if I can sell our weapons to other ninja."

It is a weak excuse, Ryu knows, one that he does not expect his father to take easily. However, instead of cuffing him on the ear or shouting at him like Ryu expects, his father only continues to walk silently towards the forge, eyes ahead. Disconcerted, Ryu follows.

The first thing his father always does upon entering the forge is to head to the back to start the fire, followed by the assembling of the metals they will use for the day's orders, the preparation of the quenching pool. He does not do that today.

Ryu watches as his father sinks down heavily at the bench behind the counter. Ryu stands before him, wanting to fidget, but he forces himself to remain still, worried that anything other than resolve will make him lose automatically.

His father looks at him for a long time before saying, "You take after me. Your mother has always been the one with both feet on the ground, hands ready to do the work. But you and I have always had our heads up in the clouds, looking out to the horizon, wanting to know what's next. Cut from the same cloth." His father gives a quick shake of his head.

Ryu ventures to say, after a long stretch of quiet between them, "I thought you would be angry at me, for wanting to leave."

"Why should I be angry?" his father retorts with a shrug. "The war took away your childhood, I took away your chance to become a shinobi. It is only fair, that you leave me now."

Despite his resolve, Ryu's heart sinks. "I—Father, I don't want to disappoint you."

His father taps two stubby fingers against the rough wooden counter. "It is a common thing, for parents to be disappointed in their children." He shrugs, smiling wryly. "It is also natural for children to be disappointed in their parents. Such is life—disappointment."

With a heavy sigh, his father reaches into the folds of his tunic. He withdraws a kunai and sets it down on the worktable between them. He begins, "I know that you are not content with the way your life has been shaped. I am not pleased with the way mine has been forged either. War does that to people." His father pauses for a moment, blackened hands touching the kunai's handle. "You wanted to be a shinobi. I understand that you feel I've stolen that away from you." Ryu begins to protest, but his father holds up a hand to silence him. "Do not try to convince me otherwise. You are my son—I know the desires of your heart."

Ryu sinks back, chewing on the inside of his cheek.

His father continues, "I was your age when I learned fuinjutsu. I was not formally taught in a school, like we have these days. There was no formal training like that, back then. But we are an ancient people with a long history, long lives. Our secrets have been passed down each generation, since the beginning of our world." He pauses, eyeing Ryu. "It is past time since I taught you the secrets of our family."

His father sits up straight and spreads his arms wide. In a rush of breath, he joins his hands together and forms a complicated-looking seal. On the table in front of him, the kunai glows a bright blue before fading.

Ryu's eyebrows join together in confusion. "What did you do?" he asks.

His father releases a wry smile. "I have sealed this kunai with a map, using our family's fuinjutsu. It was created by my great-great-grandfather, who lived in the time of our distant relative, Uzumaki Ashina. It will only respond to your touch—to those with our bloodline." Carefully, his father picks up the kunai and runs a finger down its blade before offering it to Ryu. He says, watching as his son studies the metal, "So you will always know your place is here, with us."

Ryu nods, a lump in his throat. "I promise to honor our heritage, Father. And I will return with greater renown for the Land of Whirlpools."

His father merely shakes his head. "None of that matters to me, Ryu. Only that you are safe and know that you belong. A father cannot ask for more than that."

Ryu bows his head, and without hesitation, his father begins to impart the knowledge of their family fuinjutsu techniques.

* * *

He leaves the next morning before dawn, joining several others in a small chartered boat.

His father had kept him at the forge for most of the previous day, showing him various fuinjutsu techniques, as well as the scroll that contained their family's jutsu, passed down to each generation. When Ryu studies the scroll, eyes lingering over the different hands that had written down jutsu seals, the different inks, he asks, "Are you giving this to me to learn from? To take with me?"

His father shakes his head sternly. "No. This scroll belongs in the Land of Whirlpools, where it was crafted. I do not trust its travel to other lands."

Ryu frowns in disappointment, wishing he could take this piece of history with him, to learn more fully the jutsu of his ancestors. "We could seal it to only open at my touch, Father," Ryu suggests.

But his father shakes his head again, not budging. "I would disgrace my forefathers if it were to be read by anyone other than our own family. It will stay here, with me. I will teach its jutsu to your younger brothers, when they are old enough."

Ryu reseals the scroll and hands it back to his father, unable to hide his disgruntlement. His father shows him a rare, wry smile. "I will teach it to you as well. When you come back."

With this comforting thought, Ryu turns his sights to the horizon.

* * *

The next few months abroad are trying, at best.

The first issue Ryu runs into is money, and by extension, lodging and food. He has little to his name, other than the few weapons he had crafted to hawk for sale. But though Ryu has learned what customers like and dislike from his years spent manning his father's workshop counter, it appears that the preferences of other ninja from other nations are different than those of his native country.

Cultural mannerisms are a minefield for Ryu to navigate through; often, he is looked at skeptically when he refuses to answer presumably simple questions—like where he had come from and where he was going. Perhaps his people were mistrustful and secretive by nature, considering their relative disadvantages to the Five Great Nations, but Ryu believes this is wise judgment, all the same.

Once, when he is seeking a place to spend the night in the Land of Lightning, a young man stops him, eyes narrowed. "Where do you hail from? You're not from here."

Ryu had paused in rummaging through his pack for some money, looking over his shoulder. A man with stern features stares down at him, eyes searching. Ryu says, with a forced shrug, "I'm just passing through."

The man's mouth tightens with disapproval. "Where is your destination?"

Ryu gets to his feet, shrugging on his bag, feeling antsy. "West," he says vaguely. "I am only trying to find somewhere to stay the night."

The man harrumphs and abruptly strides away, leaving Ryu alone again. Heart beating fast, Ryu abandons his previous idea of staying in an inn and steals out of town.

That night, as Ryu is crouched behind a rocky outcrop several miles from the village, he hears the distinct sound of footsteps and voices. "Why are we looking for this traveler again?" says one deep male voice.

"Because A-san said he looked suspicious," responds another voice, this time a woman.

Ryu folds himself tighter against the rocks and shuts his eyes tightly, lamenting his wasted years in the forge when he could have been training to be a shinobi, able to fight in a situation like this.

The man responds, put upon, "Tch. A-san is suspicious of everyone and everything. Ever since they declared the war official, he's been out for blood."

"Hmph. He's trying to protect us from outsiders. You should be grateful."

Not paying attention to her, the man mutters, "Probably thinks he was from Kirigakure. Like there's a snake in the grass, waiting to strike." He sighs, his voice growing fainter as he moves away, "Come on. Let's go. There's no one out here."

Ryu waits, ears straining, until the footsteps fade completely. He does not relax for hours on end, only moving until his limbs grow so stiff he can no longer lift them.

* * *

He continues his travels throughout the continent, crossing through the Five Great Nations, as well as the small countries that lay between them. As the Second Shinobi War wages on, everywhere is unsafe. Ryu dodges battles and violence, hiding in the shadows as he creeps along borderlands, quietly selling his goods to ninja on roads and to civilians in small towns.

He learns of the Land of Whirlpools' destruction in passing.

He had been traveling through the Land of Earth and had stopped at a small outpost to rest. The area he was in was remote, far from Iwagakure, the settlement only filled with local villagers intent on gossip. Ryu is drinking, facing the road, when he catches a thread of conversation from a nearby table.

"Yes, they destroyed it! Didn't you hear? That creepy village with all its secrets—they wiped it off the map!"

A sharp pain strikes his chest, almost like one of his forged arrows. A weight shifts in Ryu's chest, sinking to his gut. He clutches his cup of sake tighter, grits his teeth. The customers seated behind him say, "That island off the southern coast?"

"Yes," answers the first, voice heavy with drink. "The one that had the secret ninja techniques. They finally ended them."

Ryu swallows. He waits, lingering for more information, but the villagers move on to other topics, growing sillier as the evening wears on.

He does not know how to confirm this overheard rumor short of traveling back to the island to see for himself—he has no companions, no one that he implicitly trusts. Nonetheless, he is far from home—a journey on foot, and then across the ocean, would take him nearly weeks to accomplish.

Instead, Ryu decides to chance it—the next day, he approaches the owner of the outpost, just before the midday meal is served. It is always slower during the day, being that most are gone to work or attending to their chores within the town. The owner is sitting at a table in the corner, drinking as he checks his accounting ledger. He looks up when Ryu approaches, squinting against the bright sunlight coming through the open window.

"Yesterday, I overheard from some other customers that the Land of Whirlpools had been destroyed. Do you know if this is true?" Ryu asks tentatively, wringing his hands.

The owner eyes him with suspicion. "What's it to you?"

Ryu blinks, unwilling to confess he is from the land, not trusting his heritage with an almost-stranger. Besides, anti-Whirlpools sentiment was abundant in this part of the world.

Ryu laughs shortly and crosses his arms casually, seeming to be unbothered. "Why should it concern you? I'm a traveler, and don't hear news of the war often."

Sighing, the owner turns back to his ledger. "The island was attacked—who knows if it was destroyed or not? Who cares?" he mutters in a bored tone, turning back to his numbers.

Ryu takes that as confirmation and leaves the town that day.

He wonders for days on end if he should attempt to go back. Ryu thinks of his father, his mother, his younger brothers, and it is as if his chest has been torn apart.

He thinks of his father's forge, that long wooden counter where he'd sit many an afternoon, watching his father make weapons in the dim light at the back, illuminated only by the furnace. He remembers the hiss of the metal as it is quenched in water, cooling it down, the scrape of iron and coal, stoking the furnace to keep it hot. His fingers twitch for the cold, slick metal as he tested it behind the forge, waiting for the steady _thwack!_ of the tool hitting its target.

His heart pangs for the hills of his country, the calm, peaceful rivers, the vast blue ocean. He misses the sand underneath his feet, the feel of the sandstone beneath his fingers. Often, in the last year or so he'd been away, he'd catch himself daydreaming, drawing the whirlpool symbol with the tip of his finger.

One night, about a week after learning of Uzushiogakure's fate, Ryu is leaning against a partially-hidden tree, off the beaten path, when a choked sob finally worms its way out of chest. He shudders and crumples, drawing into himself, desperate to be as quiet as possible, in case there is someone nearby. His hand moves of its own accord, into the folds of his tunic, to clutch the kunai his father had given him. Pressed into his ribcage, Ryu can feel the kunai hum with the chakra his father had bestowed within it. His thumb traces the symbol of the Land of Whirlpools at the kunai's tip, and he wonders, lamenting, if perhaps maybe he had made the wrong choice after all.

* * *

Unable to shake it from his mind, Ryu determines to return to Uzushiogakure, if only to see it for himself.

He makes it to the northern tip of the Land of Hot Water and is then delayed for a handful of weeks by a skirmish between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning. Ryu finds refuge from the fighting in a grassy valley at the edge of a bamboo forest. He lies awake at night and listens to the sounds of far off fighting, and holds his kunai tight to his chest, wishing for home.

When the fighting eventually moves on, he makes to resume his journey. Ryu is getting ready to debark one morning from his makeshift campsite when he hears a rustle through the high grass. He pauses as he is putting on his pack, ear turned towards the sound. It is harvest time, autumn, and though there had been a cool breeze earlier in the morning when he'd been eating breakfast, there is none stirring now.

Slowly, Ryu crouches low to the ground, shielding himself from sight behind the tall grass. His father's kunai slides into his palm. Another rustle, and then footsteps. Ryu cannot believe his luck has finally run out, his thoughts flashing through the handful of jutsu he knows. He reaches deep within him for that ball of energy and is relieved to feel the chakra respond.

The footsteps come closer and Ryu debates on charging forward or waiting until the stranger makes the first move. He tries to remember anything from the snippets of strategy Shion had taught him, but nothing comes to mind.

Taking a deep breath, Ryu slowly straightens, his kunai held aloft, ready to defend himself.

Not ten yards away from him emerges a woman around his age, her hair dark and long. She holds a singular weapon—a shuriken—poised between her forefinger and thumb. Ryu's gaze travels from her pursed lips to her straight nose, finally coming to rest on amber eyes, once so familiar to him. He mouths her name, but he cannot tell if he says it aloud or only in his head.

They stare at each other from across the field for a long moment, then Shion takes a tentative step forward. She speaks first, and to Ryu, it sounds like the echo of the past. "Ryu?"

He had thought that she would have returned to Uzushio by now. After lamenting the loss of his parents, his home, his culture, Ryu's thoughts had zeroed in on Shion—the unforgettable girl of his young teenage years.

The kunai slips from Ryu's fingers, heart hammering in his chest. "Shion?" he whispers back.

Shock makes Shion's face crumple, her chin trembling. She presses her free hand to her mouth, not quite stifling a cry. "Everyone—I heard—" She doesn't finish her sentence, a muffled scream being uttered into her palm.

Ryu watches, dumbstruck, as Shion breathes deeply, her shoulders rising and falling. She eyes him, then without hesitation, strides through the tall grass and surrounds him in a tight embrace.

* * *

Shion is every bit as fierce as he remembers. Time has not dampened her personality, nor diminished her beauty. But her once bright eyes hold the pain of being a refugee, the haunted expression of someone who watched her culture, her comrades, her people, die.

She tells him that first day of travel in halting, haunted detail, about what had happened to her after she'd been sent away from Whirlpools. They had been charged with gathering intel on other nations, things they could use to support Uzushio's defense when the time came. For years, Shion and her two teammates had led undercover lives, living among the people of the Five Great Nations, sending back correspondence to their team stationed at the coast who would deliver the news back to their homeland. But as the violence of the war increased, so did their own desperation.

"We were lambs," Shion had explained with emotionless eyes. "We were lambs and they sent us out into the world where there is nothing but wolves."

About three years after leaving Whirlpools, Shion and her teammates had been near Iwagakure, studying the Tsuchikage's flow of supplies along the Kannabi Bridge. They were spread out along the perimeter from each other, surveilling, when Shion's two teammates were found and taken by Iwa-nin. Shion did not realize this until they failed to meet her at their rendezvous point later that day. She had debated for a long while to search for them, but she eventually decided against it—their training from Whirlpools had been very clear: if a teammate were captured, there would be no rescue mission.

"You know how it is," Shion had muttered late that evening, leaning against a tree. "Our culture is built so much on secrecy. Our fuinjutsu is what separates us from so many of these other nations—it makes us different, special. Our teachers always said that one fuinjutsu technique is more precious than anything, even a life." She shrugs and sighs heavily, wincing as she closes her eyes. "I wish I hadn't let my teammates go so easily."

Ryu mulls this over, turning over his father's kunai, remembering their conversation over the scroll containing his ancestor's jutsu—his father's unwillingness for it to leave their native country, for fear it would fall into the wrong hands. _And now it is lost forever_ , he thinks, chest aching.

They had stopped for the night in the mid-country of the Land of Hot Water. The steam from the nearby natural hot springs made the land misty and humid, even on a cool spring night like this one. It reminds Ryu of home in some ways, the climate being similar to the island.

Ryu eyes Shion from where he sits, peering at her through the dark. They hadn't made a fire, too fearful of drawing attention to themselves. Though her ferocity is intact, Ryu cannot help but notice Shion's face is weary and world-worn. She has had many trials, since leaving. It makes Ryu's heart hurt, feeling guilty for his mundane life in Whirlpools. Aloud, he tells Shion softly, "You made the right decision. If you had gone to look for them, the Iwa-nin would have captured you too. Taken you as a prisoner of war."

Shion is silent for a moment, before whispering back, "I wonder if that fate would've been better. Exchange the secrets and deceptions for companionship." She shrugs again, as if she does not know what choice she would make, if given the chance again.

"They would have killed you," Ryu replies firmly, anger flashing at such a prospect.

Shion smiles, sightless, up at the sky. "Maybe that would have been best. I have lost everything already anyway."

Ryu cannot think of a reply to this, so he says nothing, content to watch Shion drift into a fitful sleep.

* * *

They are a sad pair, Ryu realizes—consumed with grief and anger, but unable to find any relief. They make slow progress across Hot Water, talking about everything—their respective childhoods, their parents and siblings, the stupid things they'd done in school and the friends that they had had. These conversations taper off quickly as they collectively remember the present reality—that none of these people or places likely exist anymore. In the weeks that come, Ryu and Shion tentatively approach that painful topic—the destruction of the island, the wiping away of everything they have know, their culture and history, like it was nothing more than a splash of ink on a page.

Ryu tells her of his father and the forge, of the things he'd shared before Ryu had decided to leave. Questioning the lingering smirk on her mouth, Shion tells him frankly, "I always knew you were more than a mere weapons-maker, forge-boy."

One evening, they come across a small town in Hot Water's mid-western stretch and decide to stay at an inn, anxious to replenish some of their supplies. Ryu explains that he has been forced to hawk and trade goods and labor for food and money ever since he left, unwilling to stay too long in any place to use someone else's forge. Shion had simply nodded at this news, eyes downcast, mouth tight.

After managing to obtain a room at the inn and a little extra money from some arrowheads Ryu had constructed a while back, the pair settle in the inn's stark dining room for the provided evening meal. They eat in silence, painfully aware of the other guests in the room.

As the night ticks on, however, the inn's customers and guests come and go until it is finally only Ryu and Shion, sitting shoulder to shoulder at the bar counter. The barmaid had retired nearly an hour prior, deftly locking up her alcohol cabinet as she shot Ryu and Shion a suspicious look.

Shion had waited until she'd left the room to burst out laughing. She clutches her side, tears streaming from her face, and gleefully chokes out, "I don't think I've ever realized how I must look to someone when I'm suspicious of them. And now I know exactly how it feels!"

Ryu looks at her and smiles, studying Shion's face alight with joy. When she wipes away the last, mirthful tear, Shion catches his eye and says, frowning, "I always wondered what happened to you—even before they attacked Uzushio. I thought—" she doesn't finish her sentence, the weight of it too heavy to speak into existence.

Ryu reaches out and covers her hand with his own. "When you left Uzushio . . . I was angry you didn't say goodbye. I didn't even know you had gone until I went to the beach that day, to meet with you like I always did, and you never came." He flushes, remembering his confused seventeen-year-old emotions. "I didn't think I would ever see you again. Especially after I heard about the island. I thought you would have surely returned by then, and—"

Shion shakes her head, silencing him. She turns her hand beneath his, lacing their fingers together. She whispers, chin trembling as she holds his gaze, "I'm afraid I'll feel guilty my whole life for surviving when everything I love and know didn't. How do I survive this pain, Ryu?"

The uncharacteristic uncertainty in Shion's eyes leaves Ryu feeling lost. He squeezes her hand, trying not to notice how close they've drawn to each other. "Together. We'll survive it together."

Shion, though she continues to look doubtful, leans forward and presses her lips to his.

* * *

They are heading towards Yugakure when the rogue-nin come across them.

Ryu had gone into the ninja village earlier in the week, intending to sell off a few more of his forged goods, and had been encouraged by the interest. He and Shion had decided to return, knowing that their prospect for finding food and lodging would be sparse until they reached the coast.

They are walking leisurely in the shade, off the beaten path, when Shion stops suddenly, the tune she had been humming ceasing.

Ryu looks over his shoulder, confused. Shion has wordlessly withdrawn a shuriken, eyes filled with fear as she considers Ryu. Her head is cocked to the side, listening, but Ryu hears nothing. "What—?" he begins, but Shion quickly shakes her head, pressing a finger to her lips.

She stretches out her free hand for him, beckoning him to her side. Ryu takes two steps towards her before a whistle cuts through the air. A flash of metal slides past him and lodges itself in the ground at his feet. Ryu looks down to see a kunai, an explosive tag attached to the handle.

"Move!" Shion shouts.

Ryu dodges just in time; there is a small explosion and the ground trembles. Ryu stumbles and falls, eyes wide at the crater that has transformed the place where seconds ago he had been standing.

"Run!" Shion calls.

There is a clang of metal on metal, and Ryu scrambles to his feet, reaching for the kusari chain he keeps at his belt. His father's kunai is already pressed into his hand, slick with sweat from his palm.

Shion is struggling against an assailant, half of their face covered. From behind him, Ryu hears footsteps. When he looks over his shoulder, he surmises that they have already lost the fight. The metal resounds again, and Ryu looks to see Shion's hands are empty. She stands, chest heaving, staring down the ninja that have cornered them.

"What do you want with us?" Ryu asks, feeling useless. "We have no money."

The ninja who had attacked Shion scoffs, wiping the back of his hand across a smear of blood at his mouth. "Let's start with where you're from. Because you aren't any Yu-nin I've ever seen."

Ryu shuffles to Shion's side; she grasps his arm, her fingernails digging into his skin. Ryu answers, growing increasingly anxious, "We're traveling through."

The ninja chuckles, a rough sound, like sandpaper. He replies, "Travelers. In the middle of a world war? Doesn't seem wise."

"We're returning home," Ryu says, attempting to sound confident.

"And where is home?" the ninja prompts. At his waist, he withdraws a tanto from his waistband, sliding the weapon out of its mounting. The metal gleams like silver, and Ryu can tell even from several yards away it is of near-perfect quality.

"In the Land of Fire," Ryu lies, mind buzzing for an escape route. "Why have you stopped us?"

The man's eyes have a wild look to them. The rest of his face is covered with a gray rag, shielding his features. His companions are just as indistinguishable, all wearing similar clothing and masks. Ryu presses himself closer to Shion, fearful. The ninja behind them, about four others, move closer. Shion turns to eye them sharply.

The leader answers, "It's dangerous to be traveling these days. What with the Five Great Nations making a fuss and all."

Shion says, with resolve, "We'll be fine. Now if you have nothing more to say, we'll be going." She grasps Ryu's hand, holds it tight.

The ninjas snicker. The man reaches up and pulls down the bit of cloth hiding his face. He is a striking figure, with a goatee and hollowed cheeks. To his associates, he says, "Hold them down."

Shion takes hold of the other end of Ryu's chain that he'd slid into her palm. Together, they deflect the abrupt onslaught of weapons. Shion admittedly does most of the work, twisting the chain around her fist for better control. With a short tug and a look, Ryu surrenders it to her completely. Shion swings the chain above her and brings it down like a whip, fending off two shinobi who had moved forward.

Ryu grips his kunai and sets his sight on the leader of the group. He is watching him with a slight smile on his rugged face, standing with his hand on his hip. Flanking him are the two other shinobi. With a nod of the leader's head, the ninja surge towards Ryu.

Ryu is not a ninja, nor much of a fighter, but he is well-coordinated. They come towards him at once. Ryu throws up his arm as one ninja swings down, a wooden tonfa in his grip. The impact from the tonfa jars Ryu's forearm; he quickly kneels to the ground and slides out of the ninja's pressure. The ninja stumbles and his grip on his tonfa loosens—but Ryu cannot pause to retaliate.

Two more ninja surge forward, seizing Ryu by his arms. Ryu jerks in their grip, wincing at the sensitivity in his right arm caused by the tonfa; his kunai is squeezed out of his palm and falls, forgotten, to the ground. The ninja growl at Ryu as he struggles. In a stroke of ingenuity, Ryu swings his legs up and hooks his knee around one of the ninja's throats.

The two ninja collide, both attempting to hold him. Ryu squeezes his leg tighter around the ninja's neck, near-blind to everything but the blood pumping in his enemy's pulse. One of Ryu's arms is free—the other is still woefully being stretched by the rogue-nin's companion, yanking and tugging to free his comrade. Ryu holds on, his muscles straining as he presses his leg closer around the ninja's neck.

A scream breaks across the clearing, and Ryu's heart stutters. _Shion._ He opens his eyes and lifts his head, searching desperately if she is alright.

Shion has been caught around the middle by a lone ninja; he is holding her down against the ground, pressing her skull into the dirt. Ryu can see that she is crying out of frustration. Nearby, the lead ninja stands with another, who rubs his knuckles against his mouth; his hand comes away streaked with bright, red blood.

Ryu's distraction costs him.

His arm is wrenched violently; Ryu hears it pop out of the socket, and then he also is screaming into the air, all his breath sucked out of his chest.

It takes but a second for it to all be over. Ryu is crushed to the ground, hands pinned to the back of his neck, a knee in the middle of his back. He can hear Shion panting from a few yards away; a trickle of fear works its way down Ryu's spine. The leader approaches slowly, crouches down to where Ryu can meet his eyes.

"Now," he begins in a casual tone, "you've only made things worse for yourself. All you had to do was answer a simple question. . ." He trails off as he touches the kunai lying in the dirt. There is a short struggle between Ryu and the ninja holding him as he tries to retrieve his father's kunai, but one sharp punch to the back of his head is enough; the kunai is plucked up and the leader steps away, examining it with beady gray eyes.

"This weapon was hand-forged. Your handiwork, I presume?" the ninja shoots Ryu a quick look, but Ryu remains silent, gritting his teeth. "Of course, it is," scoffs the man, shaking his head. "We saw you in the village the other day."

Ryu feels his veins turn to ice. From where she is being held not too far away, Shion asks, huffing, "What do you want with us?"

"An interesting question," the ninja mutters back. He performs a hand seal, eyeing the kunai carefully. Nothing happens, much to Ryu's relief. The ninja turns back to Ryu, squinting at him. He gestures for one of his comrades, who steps forward with a nod. Ryu makes eye contact and winces; this ninja's eyes are blood red, the pupils dark and horizontal.

"Tell us where you're from," orders the ninja with the red eyes, sounding almost bored.

Ryu is surprised that his pain has momentarily ebbed. _Pain?_ he thinks. _What pain?_ He cannot remember exactly what he had been doing in this forest—was he taking a walk? Words push at his mouth, his history, his homeland, and something deep within him tells Ryu not to say anything. But there is another, insistent nudge in his mind, and then he opens his mouth and says, "We are from the Land of Whirlpools. From Uzushiogakure. It has been destroyed, and we were on our way back to see if anything had survived."

"Oho!" laughs the leader.

Ryu cocks his head at him, confused as to why this is amusing. The ninja with the blood red eyes continues, "You are both ninja from the Land of Whirlpools?"

Ryu shakes his head. "I'm not a ninja. Shion is."

"Ryu!" hisses Shion from her place. There is a rustling and then a yelp, but Ryu does not break eye contact to look; the ninja's red eyes are entrancing, so interesting to look at.

"Then what are you?" prompts the red-eyed ninja.

Ryu manages to shrug. "A weapons-maker."

Ryu can sense the leader's pleasure at this statement. He walks in front of his comrade and Ryu blinks a few times, confusion settling on his shoulders. _What—what did I just do?_

The leader is grinning when he crouches in front of him, ducking down to capture Ryu's gaze. "You will make a good pet, I think," is all he says. The next moment, Ryu is knocked out, Shion's scream following him into the darkness.

* * *

He is knocked out for the remainder of the journey. When Ryu awakes again, it is to indescribable pain.

Ryu writhes on the ground, his entire body aflame. He wants to scream, wants to cry out for relief, for water, for anything, but there is cloth stuffed inside his mouth, noxious and preventing him from uttering anything other than a muffled whimper. He tries to bite down, grit his teeth, but the cloth prevents even that one small relief.

It feels as if days pass in this agony. At times, Ryu senses other people present in the room with him, but to his muddled, pain-ridden mind, they are but shadows reflecting on the walls.

When the pain finally subsides—weeks later, hours?—Ryu pushes himself up to sit, near breathless from the effort. There is an itch on his chest. Ryu lifts his fingers to brush it away and nearly faints from how badly his skin stings.

Gasping, Ryu looks down and is horrified to see a dark circle enclosed by a square, imprinted on his chest. He has been marked, branded.

"It is a juinjutsu. You familiar with them?"

Ryu shudders, his head whipping towards the voice near the door. They are shrouded in darkness; Ryu cannot tell who it is, though he assumes it is the rogue-nin's leader. Speechless, Ryu shakes his head.

"I didn't think so—for some reason I would've thought a country as skilled as Whirlpools would have taught something a little more advanced." Ryu detects a rustle of cloth and assumes the speaker has shrugged. "It represses the use of your chakra. Can't have you giving us more trouble, can we?"

Ryu finds his voice and winces at the strain it puts on his throat: "What do you want with us?"

Ryu cannot see the visitor's face, but he can hear the sly smile when the ninja says, "I already told you, weapons-maker. You will make a good pet."

* * *

They keep he and Shion separated from each other for the better part of a year.

It is a miserable, incomprehensible existence that has befallen them. Ryu is kept in a room no bigger than his childhood bedroom with five others in various states of deterioration. No one speaks; it is forbidden. Should someone transgress this rule, they are tortured on the spot, sent into the darkness by the red-eyed ninja.

Every day, someone is chosen for testing and escorted from the room by a handful of armed rogue-nin, their eyes wide with fear, or some, resignation. Ryu tries, at first, to guess how long the other prisoners have been held, has tried to make up some sort of timeline to understand how long this cruelty has been taking place, but nobody is willing to speak. Much of their time is spent conserving their energy for their next session with their deranged captors.

He does not know why exactly that they keep him around. They know he is not a ninja, and the fuinjutsu he does know, Ryu hides so far deep within himself that he nearly forgets he knows any at all.

As the days and weeks and miserable months pass by, Ryu increasingly feels gratitude for his father's cautiousness to reveal their ancestor's secrets. Had he taught Ryu from a younger age, it would have become so ingrained it would have been easily plucked out by the ninja with the red eyes. He laments the loss of his kunai; he always stares at it, attached to the head ninja's belt every time he is selected for their experiments. But he is happy at least for one thing: these ninja will never be able to access it for themselves. In some ways, that in itself is enough for him.

Quickly, the ninja learn that Ryu, though he has chakra and knows a few sparse techniques, he is useless compared to some of their other quarry. He worries constantly for Shion. He hears their kidnappers speak of her sometimes—mere catches of conversation about how she'd fought back against a genjutsu or had spat in one of their comrade's faces. Relief always floods his veins in these moments, unspeakably grateful that she is still alive.

When he is finally permitted to see her, she is nearly unrecognizable. Her face is sallow and pale, her dark hair limp and knotted. But it is her eyes that trouble him. No longer are her bright, amber eyes alight with purpose and resolve. Now, they are dull, faraway, as if she is looking at a distance over his shoulder. Ryu must say her name several times before Shion is pulled back to the present enough to look at him. It takes her a moment, her mouth pursing, before she whispers his name, voice hoarse. Ryu gently takes her in his arms, wary of the ninja that are watching them, and cradles her head to his chest.

"What did they do to you?" he whispers into her ear.

Shion does not answer but clutches the back of his tunic tightly.

For reasons their captors do not explain, Ryu and Shion are permitted one room for themselves. It is locked from the outside, and it is only large enough for one straw mattress on the floor and a wooden chair in the corner, but it is their own. Ryu has a suspicion that they watch them in holes in the walls.

But as the months tick along, seasons changing outside, Ryu begins to help Shion return back to herself. She will never be the same, of course. The things they did to her—the isolation, the torture—caused irreparable damage. Ryu tries, he tries so many times to draw it out of her—to reassure her that he is here, he will protect her. Instead of opening up, however, Shion shuts down further, turning her face into his neck and refusing to speak for days on end. After a while, Ryu stops asking.

The rule of no talking still stands, but for whatever reason, their captors are more lenient with them. Ryu and Shion whisper to each other nonsense things in their dark, secluded room—dreaming of Uzushio, what it had been, what it would have become had there been no war. War! Such a silly concept, such a wretched thing. Shion spits out the names of the Five Great Nations as if they are personally responsible for her situation, cursing all five kage and their ancestors to the deepest pit of hell.

When she falls into these tirades, eyes wide and wild, Ryu can only smooth his hand over her hair and hum a tune until she calms down enough to pick up his song, her heavy, hoarse tone emanating from the back of her throat.

The rogue-nin's purpose remains hidden from them. On a rotating schedule, they are taken into a dark room, usually only lit by candles, and strapped to a table or placed in a cage. There, they are instructed to perform jutsu or submit to torture.

The first time they select Ryu for the session, they place him in a cage where he must stoop. They instruct him to perform a jutsu, but Ryu can only stand there, his informal ninja training far behind him at this point. His captors poke and prod him for what feels like hours, but Ryu continues to do nothing, unsure of what they are after.

Shion, unfortunately, fares worse.

The red-eyed ninja is quite adept at persuasion, it would seem. He traps Shion often in genjutsu, bringing her back to an imagined Uzushiogakure. Her friends, her family, are phantoms in this dream. She sees her brothers and sisters, her parents, alive and well and finds herself crying. The red-eyed ninja manipulates the scenes, putting the imprints of her loved ones in danger, forcing Shion into a situation to reveal even one of Whirlpools' secrets. But seeing her friends and family perish, over and over again, forces Shion into a mental break. With each renewed genjutsu, she fades further from herself, lost in her memories, to time. It takes everything within Ryu to hold tight to the threads, keeping her from unraveling.

One evening, nearly two years after they are first captured, Ryu is returned to the room after a trying day of being experimented on. They had kept him trapped within another genjutsu, screaming up at the ceiling. When Ryu hears them begin to lock the door behind him, he collapses onto the mattress next to Shion, every atom of him exhausted.

Shion quietly rubs his back and hums, distracted, as Ryu gathers himself. Finally, he murmurs into her shoulder, "Why do you think they are doing this? What would cause these people to do this to us?"

Shion sighs. "Obsession can drive people to many desperate things."

"Why are they obsessed with capturing ninja? They are all ninja themselves."

"They are greedy," Shion answers, her eyes flashing with an old spark. "You cannot reason with greed."

"Or madmen."

Shion nods, setting her chest. "Yes. Or madmen," she agrees.

* * *

They find out Shion is pregnant by chance. It is the fall of their fourth year in captivity, and Shion whispers to Ryu one morning, "I haven't bled in months."  
This has not been an uncommon occurrence. Shion has had months like this throughout their captivity, her cycle irregular or disappearing altogether. When Ryu had asked why, she had explained that malnutrition could affect such things. He'd been halving his portions ever since then, to ensure her body was functioning the way it needed.

Ryu shifts on his side and stares into Shion's eyes, searching for some clue as to her meaning. When she takes his hand and presses it to her stomach, Ryu's eyes widen in understanding. Almost immediately, his vision swims with tears. Silently, Shion presses her fingers to his cheeks, smoothing out the flow that stems from his eyes. "Don't worry," she says. "We will figure something out."

They carefully discuss terminating the pregnancy in some way, but they are not permitted weapons, and Ryu has neither the heart nor the stomach to harm Shion, no matter how necessary they deem it to be. When Shion begins getting sick each morning, she is examined by their kidnappers, and then their plans are awash.

Immediately, Shion is placed under constant surveillance, receiving daily, and sometimes even hourly, check-ups from the one medic-nin among their kidnappers.

He is a stout, sour-faced man in his early twenties, glasses affixed to the tip of his nose. He stares down at Shion in barely concealed disgust, poking and prodding with a myriad of metal instruments.

Ryu is always restrained during these impromptu visits, held by his arms by two shinobi. The red-eyed ninja and the lead captor always come, both of them looking eager. It makes Ryu suspicious and uncomfortable.

When he expresses his concerns for the ninja's plans to Shion, she simply shrugs, irritable. "Whatever they want, they'll have to tell us at some point."

Ryu does not voice the terrible thoughts that swim in his brain, not wanting to add to Shion's stress.

Towards the end of her first trimester, they begin performing the tests. At first, it seems like simple things—measuring Shion's growing belly, prodding her into different stances or poses, making her sit in piles of dirt or small pools of water.

As Shion's morning sickness begins to pass, the ninja begin to force feed her all manner of things. The first time they bustle into the room, Ryu and Shion have only shot them a wary glance before Ryu is thrown onto his back by two ninja, held down. Shion yells and backs up against the wall. Slowly, the other ninja approach her, the one with red eyes smiling. She fights back against them, unaware of what they are trying to do. Ryu feels her chakra flame; at the corner of his eye, he sees a ninja perform the seal to activate the juinjutsu. Shion crumples with a gasp, and the ninja move forward. They pin her against the wall, the ninja with genjutsu eyes muttering unintelligibly.

The leader forces Shion's mouth open and places a wad of something green in her mouth. He forces her to chew it, large hands keeping her mouth shut until she has no choice but to swallow.

They wait, for what seems like hours until they can be sure Shion won't vomit it back up. When they finally leave, abandoning a breathless Ryu on the floor, one of them says over his shoulder, carelessly, "We look forward to welcoming the little one, precious thing."

After they leave, Shion attempts to wretch the substance back up, but nothing will come. Exhausted, she collapses onto their straw mattress and stares unseeingly at the ceiling.

Ryu crawls over and lays beside her, absently trailing his hand along the small rounded bump that is beginning to rise at Shion's stomach.

For a long while, neither of them say anything, too lost in their own thoughts to speak aloud. But finally, as the room is growing darker to signify the passing of the afternoon into evening, Shion whispers, "I didn't think it would be like this."

Ryu's hand stills, resting at the top of Shion's bump. Shion is still staring up at the ceiling, silent tears flowing down her cheeks, making clear streaks through the smudged dirt on her face. "Neither did I," he whispers back.

* * *

Their daughter is born weeks earlier than she is expected, in the spring.

It is a dirty business—birth. Ryu watches from the corner of the room as the mercenaries' medic crouches in front of Shion's knees. The room is deathly silent apart from Shion's pants and wails of discomfort.

Shion's face spends hours contorted with agony—there was nothing to soften her pain, save some medicinal herbs the medic had given her to chew on.

Finally, a viscous, small dark head of hair appears between Shion's legs. Ryu watches, sick to his stomach, as the medic pulls the baby out. Shion is crying, voice heavy with anguish and relief. The medic holds their baby on his knees as he absently cuts the umbilical cord, squinting down at the newborn with a mix of awe and distaste.

"Ryu," Shion says in a sharp tone, throwing out her hand for him to grasp.

Ryu stands to go to his wife, but one stinging sear of the cursed seal keeps him in his place. He glares at their captors, lingering at the door of the room. Shion curses aloud, and then is passing the afterbirth, her eyes shut tight with concentration and pain. When she settles, spent and deflated, Ryu's eyes once again return to the baby.

It is resting on the medic's knees, fists clenched tightly. It is covered in blood and fluid. It has not opened its eyes.

"Is it—is it alive?" Ryu hears himself ask.

The medic spares him a glance and takes a dirty towel to wipe over the newborn's body, cleaning it of guts. "Yes. She's alive."

"She?"

"A girl," the medic confirms, busying himself with a needle and thread in-between Shion's legs. He briefly looks over his shoulder at the ninja waiting at the door and nods. Ryu feels the burning at his cursed seal fade. Tentatively, he steps forward and grasps Shion's hand.

Ryu's eyes float over Shion, filled with concern. She gives him a weak, though exhausted, smile. "A girl?" she asks.

Ryu nods and settles his gaze on the baby. Her fists are waving in the air languidly, her shock of dark hair sticky.

The medic sighs and sets down his tools, hurriedly picking up the baby to hand to Ryu. Fumbling, he accepts the newborn in his arms, feeling panic rising within him. The medic turns away, back to his needle and thread.

"What shall we call her?" Shion murmurs, her voice heavy with exhaustion.

Ryu holds the baby—his daughter—in his arms, thoughtful. Her arms have stopped waving in the air, and her mouth is opening and closing. Everything about her is tiny and pink and doughy. He waits one minute, then two, before one eye cracks open, then another, squinting up at the world. She has brown eyes, closer to his own shade than Shion's darker ones. In a fit of inspiration and love, Ryu responds in a whisper, "Tenten. Her name is Tenten."

Shion sighs contentedly. As she drifts off to sleep, she hums in agreement, "Tenten. Heaven on earth."

* * *

A mere day after Shion gives birth, Ryu is dragged once more into a dark room and strapped down. Long ago, when his captivity still felt fresh, Ryu would test the bindings each and every time, ignoring the laughs and jeers of the surrounding ninja.

Today, Ryu fights harder than ever before. He is alone with the leader, like the first time when he was sealed. Horror descends upon Ryu as the realization trickles into his brain.

The lead ninja considers him from where he slouches against the wall. He raises an eyebrow in amusement. "My congratulations on your first child."

"Why did you bring me here?" Ryu demands, his muscles straining from the effort of trying to break free.

"You'll have to clarify your question," the lead ninja replies. Ryu growls in frustration. The lead ninja smirks. "You have more of an incentive now to be foolish. We're going to counteract that."

"By doing what?" Ryu spits.

"Another cursed seal. To subjugate your strength." His cruel smile goes. "Some of my friends disagree. They think you're all too weak to put up much of a threat. But what can I say—I don't like to take chances."

Ryu opens his mouth to argue, glaring, but then he is flat on his back against the table, feeling as if a poker from the forge has driven him through. His vision whites out.

* * *

It is challenging, with a newborn.

Shion struggles to stay present with reality, though she is calmer than Ryu has seen in years when Tenten is in her arms, eating or sleeping.

After their second cursed seal has been applied, they are given a brief reprieve from their sessions with their kidnappers. Instead, daily, the mercenaries crowd into the small room given to Ryu and Shion and watch them.

Ryu finds it unnerving as ever, these ninja studying their movements with greed, eyes roving over Shion and Tenten, small bundle that she is.

Sleep had always been difficult in these conditions, but they worsen. Tenten is an irascible newborn, crying throughout the night, unable to be satisfied. Shion and Ryu try everything they know, which admittedly is not much. They hold her, rock her in their arms, walk in circles around the room. Nothing works.

One night, delirious from lack of sleep, Ryu is walking Tenten around the room. Shion had given up hours before and is now lying crumpled on the straw mattress; Ryu has no idea if she has actually fallen asleep or merely passed out from exhaustion.

Tenten wails and waves her small fists in the air. Ryu reaches down absently to mollify her once more, and Tenten seizes his pinky finger in her tight grip. She squeezes, brutally so for a four-month old. Ryu winces and attempts to loosen her grip, but Tenten holds fast. She has stopped crying, small face contorted in concentration. Ryu watches her, a slow smile gracing his haggard features. She has the grip of a warrior, a weapons-maker.

"Ah, you're going to be a fighter, aren't you?" he whispers to her.

As if in answer, Tenten waves her fist; Ryu's finger sways along, still trapped.

* * *

A few weeks later, the rogue-nin receive a visitor.

He purports himself as a researcher of some kind and had heard of their small conclave from a nearby village. Wanting to chance it, he'd found their compound and requested interviews with everyone they could make available. Much to Ryu's surprise, the mercenaries admit him—thought it is clear they do so largely because he has no training as a shinobi, and therefore, no secrets to steal.

Ryu and Shion's turn to speak with the researcher comes only a few hours after his arrival. Ryu is sitting with his back against the wall, wheedling loose straw together into a woven pattern, half-listening to Shion hum a song to Tenten, when the rogue-nin burst through the door and usher them out.

"No funny business," they warn Ryu and Shion. Shion sends Ryu a look that dares to hope, and Ryu reaches out, cradling Shion and Tenten closer to his side.

The visitor is a short man with short fingers, tainted with ink. He has been seated in one of the torture rooms in front of a wooden table, but Ryu doubts he is aware of it—surely he wouldn't still be here, if he were?

Ryu and Shion sit in the two chairs across from him, casting nervous and appraising looks at the mercenaries that line the room. Ryu's gaze skips over the red-eyed ninja; he flashes Ryu a toothy grin.

"Now," says the lead ninja, capturing Ryu and Shion's attention, "this journalist is going to ask a few questions. Answer _honestly_." Ryu does not have to guess at the exaggerated meaning behind his voice.

Eagerly, the visitor leans forward with wide, gray eyes, studying the three intently. "Well! They told me a baby had been born here in these conditions, but I must admit I was anxious to see it myself!"

Slowly, so as not to draw too much attention, Ryu slides his hand underneath Shion's knee and squeezes. "What do you want to know?" he asks the man directly.

The researcher fidgets in his chair, his fingers twitching for his sheaves of paper. "They mentioned to me that you were originally from the Land of Whirlpools. How did you leave before it was destroyed?"

Ryu feels Shion wince next to him, and he moves in his chair to push himself forward, drawing the man's curiosity. "I left to sell my weapons to other nations."

The man jots this down; he eyes Shion again. "And you, my dear?"

"She does not have to speak to you," Ryu tells him.

Across the room, the lead ninja's eyes flash with a warning. But the journalist seems hardly bothered by this, shaking his head, then asking, "How old is your child?"

The questions continue for nearly an hour, with Ryu fielding the majority of them while Shion sits next to him cradling Tenten, eyes watchful and suspicious.

At the conclusion of their interview, the journalist holds up his papers and reads through a few of his lines, small gray eyes whipping back-and-forth. Ryu and Shion get to their feet, ushered up by a ninja to be led back to their room.

Ryu halts at the door, holding Shion's elbow, as he looks back at the man. He asks in a bemused tone, "Will you write the truth of what happens here?"

The red-eyed ninja, ever-present, scoffs. Next to him, the leader eyes Ryu with a stern glare. "That's not any of your concern," he tells him.

But Ryu waits for the journalist's answer. Finally, when he can put it off no longer, the man fleetingly looks up at Ryu and replies, "Truth is an ambiguous thing. But I will report what you've told me, nothing more, nothing less."

They never hear from him again.

* * *

The years trickle by like a slow-moving river. Ryu misses rivers. He misses sunlight and rain, the whisper of wind through the grass, the sound of the hammer on the anvil, the heat of a forge fire. He misses the _thwack!_ of weapons hitting targets, of his mother and father calling him indoors for the evening meal, of his little brothers' petty arguments, the pull of the ocean tide on his feet. He misses Shion's full-throated singing. He misses the way she would tremble from excitement and not out of fear. He misses the impromptu training sessions she'd subjected him to, so long ago on the shores of their homeland. He misses having a home to return to, a stretch of land where he could build a house for Shion and Tenten.

He'd begun to fantasize about it often lately, slipping into a daydream when his head and body felt too heavy, when Shion was listless, when Tenten was inconsolable.

He would build a forge at the back, just like his father's. He'd place a counter there, to separate customers from his workspace. Tenten would come and watch, and he would lead her by the hand to sit on a bench safely out of the way of the furnace and the heavy tools. She would tell him about her day, about her teammates (because of course she would be a ninja), about the missions she would go on, the people she would meet and the techniques she would learn. He would teach her, one day when she is old enough, their family's fuinjutsu, passed down from their ancestors. Perhaps he would not remember all of it, but Tenten would be clever and would know instinctively what he was missing. She would be brilliant—every bit of her the pride of their clan.

Shion's mind would slowly heal. She would bake bread in the mornings and take walks alone by the water in the afternoons, singing to herself. Her lovely dark hair would eventually turn gray, making her all the more beautiful. One day she would laugh again, and her amber eyes would sparkle once more, like they used to. She would come to watch him at the forge sometimes, teasing him and playing with the weapons he'd made. They would spar, if only for amusement.

Ryu would build gravestones for their family, for the people they had lost. Their names would be a remembrance, never forgotten, no longer wiped away by the rising tide of time. . .

Shion briefly clutches Ryu's shoulder as she sits down next to him. Ryu blinks and the dream fades, leaving an ache in his chest.

"What were you thinking about?" Shion whispers.

Ryu looks over to where Tenten has finally fallen asleep, curled up in the middle of the straw mattress, her hands squeezed into tight little fists. "The future," he answers.

Shion scoffs, drawing her legs to her chest. "My optimistic forge-boy," she mutters. "Our future doesn't belong to us anymore."

Ryu agrees with her, but his dream feels so tangible, so real—he can't quite let it go. "We will find our way back to it again," Ryu promises.

Shion leans her head on her shoulder, lightly humming a whimsical, disjointed tune. "I hope you're right," she murmurs.

Ryu turns and presses his lips to Shion's forehead, the spark of a plan beginning to form in his mind. _I will forge a new one for us—a new future, a new home. I will do whatever it takes, for you and Tenten._

Shion lifts her head and Ryu seals his promise with a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of notes for this one - sorry!
> 
> \- [Shion's name](https://www.babynamewizard.com/baby-name/girl/shion#:~:text=Meanings%20and%20history%20of%20the,does%20not%20forget\)%3A%20%E7%B4%AB%E8%8B%91)
> 
> \- Sorry if none of the chakra stuff made sense!
> 
> \- This is the [A](https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/A_\(Fourth_Raikage\)) I was talking about. He's in his late teens/early twenties here, and has not yet become Kumo's leader. I don't think it's detailed in canon really, but A is in charge of village security here.
> 
> \- If you remember, the [Kannabi Bridge](https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/Kannabi_Bridge) is a feature in the Third Shinobi War as well, which Team Minato was sent to destroy.
> 
> \- All of the stuff relating to Whirlpools culture is made up. I mainly pulled from the canon fact that other nations were suspicious of their fuinjutsu techniques, and then tried to flesh it out some for this story.
> 
> \- [Tanto](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tant%C5%8D), [Tonfa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonfa)
> 
> \- The choke move that Ryu does with his legs is a play on a judo move called [sankaku-jime](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_choke), or triangle choke. See it in action [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF0wLsw1HDo).
> 
> \- The ninja with the red eyes: this is a veiled reference to the [Chinoike clan](https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/Chinoike_Clan) and their dojutsu, the [Ketsuryugan](https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/Ketsury%C5%ABgan). If you have no idea what I'm talking about - it's mainly referenced in Sasuke's novel, [Sasuke Shinden: Book of Sunrise](https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/Sasuke_Shinden:_Book_of_Sunrise).
> 
> \- Obviously I don't go into it much here, but the rogue-nin are heavily involved in the Japanese philosophy of [godai](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godai_\(Japanese_philosophy\)), or the classic elements. The rogue-nin obviously have warped it to suit their nefarious pursuits.
> 
> \- I don't want to get too bogged down in the timeline that I used (I even sketched it out, that's how confusing it became), but in short, Ryu and Shion were born around the same time as A, the Fourth Raikage, as well as Hiashi and Hizashi Hyuga, and are also 5-6 years older than Kushina Uzumaki. This would make them sixteen-ish when the Second Shinobi War began. The ending of the Second war and the beginning of the Third is somewhat muddled in canon, so I am operating off the idea that the period was fairly short in-between conflicts. As we all know, the Third Shinobi War wrapped up when Itachi was four years old, which happens to be only a few months after Tenten is born. Uzushiogakure was destroyed during the Second Shinobi War - in canon, it is not explicitly stated when this happens. I used [these](https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/User:Seelentau/Naruto_Timeline) [helpful](https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/User:Seelentau/NWWTL) [timelines](https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/User:Seelentau/KORTL) to construct my own.
> 
> I did not plan to write this interlude. But I began to lament the fact that Tenten's parents wouldn't have parts of their stories told. Even though they are non-existent in canon, and therefore as a reader you have no emotional attachment to them, I hope in some way you could see their story as being worthy of linked to Tenten's own.
> 
> Next Monday, we will have our conclusion. :)


	15. Eight: Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Without further ado, our conclusion.

* * *

_Hold my head inside your hands_

_I need someone who understands_

_I need someone, someone who hears_

_For you I've waited all these years_

_-[Til Kingdom Come, Coldplay](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0UN-pVTLf4)_

* * *

_**\- eight: epilogue -** _

Tenten returns to Konoha on a mild spring morning.

She breathes in the scent on the air, that newly-green essence sprinkled with the promise of summer. She'd missed that smell in the three months she'd been gone. When Darui had come to Konoha on official Shinobi Union business this past winter, Tenten had joined him in his return to Kumogakure, finally taking up his offer to train with the infamous Treasured Tools. Absently, Tenten pats the scroll at her back, smiling. Darui had gifted her three of the Tools before she'd left, claiming that she was more than able to be their master now.

She crosses the gate into Konoha and says hello to Izumo and Kotetsu, waving. She starts towards Hokage Rock but stops, sensing a familiar presence. Neji emerges a few yards away from behind a tree, arms crossed, his features relaxed. Tenten approaches him, trying and failing to slow the erratic beating of her heart. As she nears him, she can tell he's working to control his own emotions, though he is unsuccessful in one aspect—his eyes are dancing at the sight of her.

"Hi," she says tentatively. "How did you know I'd be back today?"

Neji shrugs, eyes teasing. "Just a feeling."

Tenten squints and raises an eyebrow. Neji's mouth pulls into a wry smirk. "Hokage-sama mentioned to Gai-sensei what day you'd be returning. He must have confirmed it with Darui-san, after you left Kumo," he releases.

A smile pushes its way onto Tenten's mouth. "So, your plan was to wait out here all day?"

Neji answers, raising an eyebrow, "I wasn't expecting you to be back until this afternoon."

"Woke up early," Tenten shrugs. She eyes him, her mouth twitching.

They stand there for a moment, on the edge of the road, soaking in the reality of their togetherness. And then, Neji says, nonchalant, "A lot has changed while you were gone."

Tenten looks at him, raising an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Neji nods, his gaze lingering on the sky above as he thinks on what to mention first. "Hinata-sama and Naruto are dating."

Tenten gapes at him, stunned. "No shit?"

Neji rolls his eyes at her profanity, though he can't quite hide the smirk lingering at the corner of his mouth. "It was an interesting winter," he confirms. "Lee and Mai-san moved in together. And Gai-sensei has graduated to crutches, which the hospital isn't necessarily happy about." He pauses, looking at her sidelong. Tenten swallows past the lump in her throat, unable to convey her shock with adequate words. "Shall we go see Gai-sensei?" he suggests.

Tenten nods eagerly, and together, they flash-step towards the direction of their teacher's home.

* * *

Following Neji's tip about Gai defying hospital orders, Tenten isn't surprised to see her teacher milling around near the pet shop next to his building, precariously wielding his crutches. She scolds him severely in lieu of a greeting: "Gai-sensei, what are you doing?! Do you want to go _back_ to the hospital?"

At her chiding tone, Gai turns and drops his crutches in surprise, hobbling over to Tenten on one foot. "Tenten! You've returned!" he exclaims, crushing her in his arms.

Tenten endures this for a moment before sheepishly pulling back to survey him at arms-length. "Have you lost your mind?" she barks. "You're going to fall if you aren't careful!"

There is a twinkle in Gai's eye as he considers her. Unconcerned, he sniffs, "My precious daughter is home. I am so happy! Tell me all about your training with Darui-san!"

With a heavy sigh, Tenten lends Gai her arm and they head up the stairs to his apartment. Neji follows behind, having picked up Gai's crutches. She is just helping Gai into his wheelchair in the small living room when Lee bursts through the door, arms thrown wide.

"Tenten!" he exclaims at the top of his lungs. He marches over and wraps her in a tight embrace. Tenten winces, her arms strapped to her sides, unable to move in Lee's unyielding grip.

"Lee," she puffs out, "I can't _breathe_."

"Ah," he says, quickly letting her go. He steps back and Tenten winces from her now-sore upper body. "I am sorry."

Tenten eyes him, unable to help the grin that touches her lips. If possible, Lee has seemingly become even taller. His new flak jacket makes him look older, more serious. "How did you know I was here?" she asks him.

Lee smiles winsomely. "I had a feeling!" he declares.

Tenten sneaks a suspicious look to Neji, who snorts. "Oh yeah? You sure a big bird didn't say something?"

She hears Neji scoff and imagines his accompanying eye roll. But Lee merely shakes his head, his smile widening. "No, Neji said Hokage-sama expected you'd be back today! I was only dropping by to check in, and here you are!"

Satisfied, Tenten moves to take her seat on the floor by the armchair. Lee exchanges greetings with Gai-sensei and Neji, getting into a quick back-and-forth with Gai over how refreshing his morning exercise had been. Tenten swallows, suddenly overwhelmed by the fact that she's back with the people she loves most. Her eyes prick with unwarranted emotion; she sucks in a deep breath.

Lee settles on the edge of the couch next to Neji and catches her eye, raising his bushy eyebrows in expectation. "Tell us everything about your trip, Tenten! We have been so anxious to hear!"

Tenten fiddles with a loose thread at the hem of her shirt. "I don't know where to start," she admits.

Gai flashes her a winning smile, and Lee says encouragingly, "Start anywhere! We do not mind!"

Tenten flicks her eyes to Neji, where he is seated at the edge of Gai's sofa, next to Lee. He nods for her to begin, gaze unwavering, at ease and patient. Something warm settles in her chest. She smiles at her three boys and begins.

* * *

Once she starts, Tenten finds it hard to stop. She regales her teammates for hours, explaining what life had been like in the Land of Lightning, of the Raikage's fearsome way of ruling, of Darui's patient, if somewhat lazy, teaching.

Though the three know a good deal about the Treasured Tools already from previous conversations, Tenten wastes no time in detailing them all again with gusto, conjuring them from her scroll in a puff of smoke (Neji is adamant that they do not require a demonstration, though Gai and Lee are both game).

Tenten walks them through her intense training sessions, how Darui had first started her on the Bashosen, it being the one she was most familiar with. Gai and Lee pepper her with questions while Tenten details her time in Lightning country, asking all sorts of convoluted questions about Darui's instruction style and Tenten's own chakra growth. Neji listens to her calmly, eyes never straying from her face.

When Tenten exhausts her months-long departure, she finally gets to her feet and goes to the kitchen, in need of some tea. She smiles as she leaves the room; Gai has launched into one of his many stories about the Raikage before he'd been promoted.

Tenten is reaching for Gai's teapot when Lee bounds into the kitchen and leans against the counter, watching her. "So," Tenten begins, smirking at him, "you and Mai-san took the next big leap, huh?"

The smile that spreads across Lee's lips is nothing short of beatific. "I think we will get married. In a year or so."

Tenten nearly drops the teapot, raising her eyebrows at him in shock. "Really? So soon?"

Lee waves this aside. "What is soon when you are in love? I know that she is the One."

Tenten swallows, turning on Gai's small gas stove. "Marriage? Are you serious, Lee?"

"Why would I not be?" he replies. "She is the perfect woman. I am very lucky, I think, to have found her at such a young age."

Tenten cannot argue with this; she sets the kettle on the stove and turns to him, crossing her arms. "Alright. You're getting married, then . . . soon. What did Neji say when you told him this?"

"He approves," Lee says, nodding. "Gai-sensei is very excited as well." Lee eyes her for a moment, then continues, "It is okay to feel . . . sad about it, Tenten."

Tenten scoffs, shaking her head. "Why would I be sad? I'm . . . happy for you," she says in an unconvincing tone.

Lee's smile deepens, his eyes crinkling with happiness. "I guess it was a lot to welcome you home with. Do not worry. It will not be as sudden as it sounds."

"Moving in seems kind of sudden," Tenten mutters under her breath. She stretches out a hand to Gai's box of tea leaves.

Lee considers her with a knowing look. "You would not consider letting Neji move in with you? Or moving in with him?"

Tenten's jaw tightens. Sighing, she says, "We're not . . . we're not you. It's different. And I've been gone, so it's not like. . ." The kettle whistles and Tenten moves it off the heat.

Lee shrugs, sensing Tenten's discomfort. He changes the subject, wearing a smirk, "It is good you came back when you did. Neji was very distracted while you were gone."

Tenten hums, spooning tea leaves into the strainer. "What do you mean?"

Lee's voice lowers into a confidential tone, "He was considering traveling to Kumogakure. To finish the rest of your stay with you."

Tenten shoots him a look. After a brief pause, she says, "Neji didn't tell you that."

Lee waggles his eyebrows. "He did not have to."

Tenten sighs and rolls her eyes, pouring the steaming water into the pot, watching the liquid soak the leaves. Quietly, she responds, "He didn't mention it. When he wrote me last."

Lee sets out four cups for her and Tenten pours meditatively. Lee says as she fills the last cup, "He missed you. It was painful for him."

Tenten sets the teapot on the counter and grasps a cup, lifting it to her lips. Lee goes on, "We have been running together in the mornings. To try to help him regain some of his strength. It is . . . difficult for him to keep up. But I believe you knew that already."

Tenten nods silently and takes another sip, listening.

Lee touches his fingers to one of the cups, pressing lightly into the heated ceramic. "He is still searching, I think, in some ways. For who he will be now." Lee flashes her a quick smile. "You felt the same, when you left. Do you feel you have more answers now?"

Tenten sets down her cup, turning it in a circle on the counter top. "Do you remember what I told you? That day on the hill when we got back from Whirlpools?"

Lee nods.

"When I left, I still felt that way, sort of. That I wasn't anyone without bukijutsu or fuinjutsu. When we were on that mission to meet those Yu-nin, I asked Neji the same thing—what good is a weapons mistress in a time of peace? I couldn't come up with an answer, really. I wanted to be good enough despite it all, but I wasn't sure I was. And then, after Uzushio, after finding that scroll. . ." She meets Lee's eyes quickly. "I had a lot of time to think, in Kumo. About everything. And I think I have my answer now."

Lee stares at her attentively, waiting for her to share. Tenten's heart pangs a little with how much she's missed him. "I figured out I can be different than I was and still be good," she exhales, releasing. "All of the stuff in my past—it doesn't erase my hard work. Hokage-sama's focus on making nice with the other villages, the lack of action—it doesn't define me like I thought it needed to. I . . . belong, in a lot of different ways, to different people. But most of all I belong to myself, and that's all that matters."

Lee's dark eyes have begun to well with tears. He steps forward and engulfs her in another tight hug. This time, Tenten squeezes him back.

In the other room, they can hear Neji and Gai murmuring back-and-forth, perhaps discussing what the plan will be for dinner as the afternoon has ticked on. Tenten feels Lee's heartbeat against her chest and feels her own heart clench—with gratitude, with contentment, with peace.

"I am glad you are home," Lee whispers in her ear.

Tenten smiles, her body starting to ache from Lee's grip. "Me too," she answers.

* * *

The four eat an early dinner provided by Lee and Neji—Lee cooks the rice, while Neji prepares some vegetables Gai had stored away. Tenten feels herself sink into satisfaction, watching the three of them laugh and tell stories, filling her in on everything she'd missed over the last three months.

Lee departs after sunset, avowing that he must walk Mai home from her shift at the market, but promises that he will see Tenten tomorrow, that he will treat them all to lunch to celebrate her return.

Tenten wanders out onto Gai's minuscule balcony and takes in the view of one of Konoha's city parks, another mug of tea pressed firmly into her palm. The sky has deepened quickly into a dreamy periwinkle, tingeing the clouds with brushstrokes of purple and milky white.

She hears Gai roll his wheelchair up behind her, and she makes room for him to join her on the balcony. She begins, "Where's—?"

"Washing dishes," Gai answers before she can finish. He looks up at her, a twinkle in his eye. "He has been visiting me often lately. Every afternoon we have tea together. But his tea is not near as good as yours, of course."

Tenten rolls her eyes, though her chest warms at the sentiment. That fire in her gut from earlier reignites, and she shifts against the balcony railing, taking a deep breath to keep herself centered and calm.

Gai says, "Your last message to me was very intriguing. What is it that you found?"

Tenten lifts her thumb to her mouth, intending to nibble on the corner of her thumbnail, but she catches herself and wraps her hand back around the mug. "I found another record. Of the rogue-nin who kidnapped my parents and other ninja. They. . . When my parents escaped, it seems one of the mercenaries got away as well. He fled from the Land of Hot Water into Lightning country."

Gai has turned in his chair to watch her, but Tenten resists from meeting his eyes, focusing on the slowly drifting twilight over the trees.

"What happened to him from there?"

Tenten cracks one of her knuckles and sighs. "He was insane, Gai-sensei. He would rave about the things that he and those other ninja did. He was taken by the Raikage's guard and imprisoned for the rest of his life. He died in a cell in Kumogakure, almost eight years ago."

"Hm," Gai murmurs, stroking his chin. "Did the records contain anything else?"

Tenten sighs, curling her fingers around the mug. "When the rogue-nin was first imprisoned, they had him interrogated. Standard procedure for the Land of Lightning, especially at the tail-end of a war. Darui got me access to the Raikage's library, where all of those records are stored." She takes a breath, recalling what she had read. "Most of it was incoherent—just off-the-wall answers to basic questions. But . . . when the interrogators asked him how he escaped, he told them that one of their captives—a weapons maker—set fire to the compound. Apparently, he had been successful in breaking the cursed seal."

Gai's thick eyebrows rise in astonishment. Tenten turns to her sensei, feeling strangely emotionless. "It must have completely drained him, Gai-sensei. My father—he couldn't have been a very skilled ninja, not from any of the records, not from the memories I have. It cost him everything."

Gai settles into his chair, dark eyes roaming over the expanse of the sky. Tenten can detect the first beginnings of stars, winking into sight. He says, "It is the mark of someone truly talented, to be able to break a juinjutsu."

Tenten purses her lips. "It could have weakened over time. There's so little I know about it. . . But I thought—if Lightning has a record of these ninja, why wouldn't other surrounding nations? Their compound was in the Land of Hot Water. Surely someone would remember a group of mercenaries, even if they weren't aware of what they were doing."

"It would not hurt to look," Gai muses, lifting his gaze to her. A small smile graces his lips. "I was hoping you would be here for a while longer before setting off on another adventure."

Tenten shakes her head. "I thought . . . it would be over, once we went to Uzushio. That I would have closure. But now. . ."

Gai nods. "I can see that. But often the past is not a straight line. There are many detours, things that require a second look. As we grow older, we see more clearly."

Tenten sighs. "Well, I'm not going anywhere just yet. I only got back a few hours ago." Her thoughts skip to her return that morning, how pleased Neji had been to see her.

Sensing her thoughts, Gai releases a wolfish grin. "He missed you."

Tenten doesn't stop the smile that perches upon her mouth. She shrugs, "I missed him too. I missed all of you."

"It has been an interesting few months without you. Neji and I have grown so much closer. And he runs with Lee in the mornings, I'm sure he mentioned."

Tenten's chest aches a little, feeling the absence she'd left in her friends' lives, the missing limb she'd felt ever since she'd departed Konoha. "I'm glad to be back," she replies, draining the last of her tea.

Neji appears in the doorway then, wiping his hands on a towel. His gaze slides from Gai to Tenten, an eyebrow rising in suspicion. "Something tells me you were just talking behind my back," he tells them.

"Neji, we wouldn't dare! How could you think that?" Gai exclaims with mock offense.

Neji narrows his eyes at Gai, then analyzes Tenten carefully. She grins and laughs in response.

* * *

Tenten and Neji depart from Gai's soon after, setting out for Tenten's apartment. Dusk has moved on, replaced with a deeply sweet spring evening. Tenten inhales a steady breath, nostalgia overwhelming her senses. They do not speak during their walk, content to enjoy the night in silence. Neji's sleeve brushes her arm, and it takes Tenten a measure of willpower to not reach out and lace her fingers with his.

They reach her building and walk slowly, slowly up the stairs. Neji lets Tenten go up first; she can feel his anticipation at her back, and she smiles at no one, withdrawing her keys. "Do you want me to make tea?" she asks him nonchalantly as she unlocks the front door.

Neji does not reply; Tenten passes through the entrance and slips off her shoes. She turns to view him over her shoulder and feels her pulse thud at the look in his eyes.

The door is barely shut before Neji is dipping down to cover her mouth with his. Tenten hums into the kiss, her arms sliding around Neji's neck as he leans her against the wall. His thumbs press into her hipbones and Tenten squeezes his neck. "Miss me?" she breathes out, head spinning.

"You have no idea," Neji mutters back. He closes the distance between them again, his arm snaking around her back. Tenten tightens her grip, folds herself around his waist.

Neji exhales; Tenten can feel the tension leave his shoulders. "Three months," Neji begins, clearly struggling with coherency, "is a long time, Ten."

"I'll be sure to bring you with me next time," she mutters, working his bottom lip between her own. She pulls back suddenly, recalling what Lee had said, and smirks at him. "Though, Lee did mention that you were planning on coming to visit?"

Neji rolls his eyes and presses his forehead to hers, fingers splaying across her throat. "I need to talk with him about minding his own business."

Tenten pushes his chest back, wanting to see his eyes. "Were you really planning to come? Would Hiashi-sama have even let you?"

Neji disregards her questions and leans forward again, silencing her with another feverish kiss. "Neji. . ." Tenten mumbles, not wanting to miss out on the opportunity to tease him.

"Tenten, shut up," Neji replies, firm.

Tenten sighs, put upon, but a second later she is all too happy to oblige, having felt Neji's hand graze the skin of her ribs as he pushes past her shirt. He pauses for a moment, waiting for permission. Tenten slides her arms around his neck and nods, knotting her fingers in his hair. Neji smiles against her lips and carries her down the hallway.

There had long been a heat between them that simmered, rising in temperature as they grew older and more mature, spent more time talking than training. Now it has grown into a white-hot thing, burning through each gaze, each glancing blow or touch.

They reach her bedroom and break apart. Tenten looks at Neji, he looks back, and then they reach for each other. It is an undoing, a loosening of their inhibitions, of their past, and a shift into something different, a closeness neither has felt before, falling into an unforeseen future. All the layers fall away, and it is only them.

* * *

It is the middle of the night, but they aren't tired, even though Tenten had gotten up before dawn to make it back that morning.

She spreads her scarred hands over Neji's mottled chest, studying him. She gestures to it with a tilt of her chin and asks, "Does it hurt ever?"

Neji smiles slightly, eyeing her long ago partially severed thumb. "Does yours?"

Tenten scoffs and makes to push him away; Neji secures her wrists above her head. His lips make a trail down her throat and sternum. He says, cheek pressed to her breastbone, "It hurts when it is going to storm. Sometimes it's debilitating enough that I need a few minutes to gather my strength."

Tenten considers this, thinking to only a short while ago, when they'd had to pause for Neji to catch his breath, apparently an eternal side-effect of his injury. "You're lucky we don't live in Kumo," Tenten mutters.

Neji nods, somewhat preoccupied with the way her skin is illuminated from the moonbeams shining through the window. He murmurs, thinking back to his checkup at the hospital earlier in the week, "Sakura-san said that I'll have to use a cane. When I'm older."

Tenten blinks, her expression shifting. She easily looses one of his hands from around her wrist, and lightly runs her fingers through his hair. "Does it bother you ever? That you made that choice—to put yourself in harm's way on purpose for Hinata?"

His fingers float across her ribs. "There are some fights you can't walk away from without it costing something, changing you." Neji shrugs. "This one happened to be mine. I wouldn't have avoided it, even if I had known what the outcome would be. Even if it would have been different—and I wouldn't be here."

He eyes her, as if sensing this is an answer she doesn't want. But Tenten merely shakes her head and sighs. "So. Your balance will get worse, then?"

Neji nods, turning his face to press into her torso. Tenten hums in thought, pushing her hand through his hair. After a moment, she comments lightly, "Well, I guess I could always make you a fancy cane, like I'm planning for Gai-sensei."

Neji groans into her side, exasperated. "As long as it's nothing flashy, I'll accept," he finally says.

"Don't worry," Tenten reassures, absently brushing her thumb over the cursed mark on his forehead, "I know what you like."

Neji laughs, his lips spreading in a mischievous smile along her skin. "I was hoping you would say that."

A soft smile spreads across Tenten's mouth, setting a soothing rhythm across his skin. Neji asks her, "What were you and Gai-sensei talking about earlier? On the balcony?"

"The information I found out in Kumo. About the ninja who took my parents."

Neji shifts until he is looking at her fully, face serious. Tenten sucks in a breath and tells him about the interrogation records. Neji listens without interrupting, his expression growing darker with each word. Tenten reaches out, stroking the concerned lines that have appeared on his forehead.

She says quietly, her heart clenching some, "I've had some of my memories start to come back. Nothing concrete. They're more . . . feelings than anything. Snatches of moments."

Neji listens intently, his hand sliding up her arm to grasp her shoulder. "What are they of?" he asks softly. "The emotions?"

Tenten swallows, shifting to lean her head back against the wall. "Fear, mostly. Maybe not my own, but definitely theirs—my parents. I . . . I keep having this memory of standing outside in this yard, and my mom is singing to me. I don't think my father was there—maybe the rogue-nin separated them when they let us outside? It must have been fall, I remember being cold. But her back was to me—I don't remember her face. But she was looking up at the sky and just . . . singing. She had a deep voice, but it wasn't unpleasant to listen to." Tenten lifts her hand, forms her fingers into a fist. "I was holding a leaf in my hand. I'd crumpled it into tiny pieces."

Her gaze refocuses and she looks to Neji, who is regarding her seriously. She flashes him a quick smile. "It's like my mind has been this huge desert, and the rain has finally come, slowly starting to fill up rivers." She shrugs. "I've been really sensitive, I guess. Since Uzushio."

Neji's palm grazes her cheek, gaze sympathetic. "I talked to Naruto, a while ago. About if he remembers anything about Uzumaki Kushina's culture—if she left anything to him from Whirlpools." Neji shakes his head. "He knows as much as you do, I guess. As much as anyone does."

"I think I want to go and investigate about the rogue-nin more. I told Gai-sensei—there's no way people didn't know about their compound. How else would that journalist have known about them, if someone hadn't told him?" Tenten's forehead creases, a familiar determined look returning to her eye. "I don't think he stumbled upon them by chance."

Neji swallows, briefly turning his face away to stare out the window. Tenten trails her fingers along the line of his jaw and throat, waiting for him to express what is clearly weighing on his mind. He finally says, looking back to her earnestly, "I'd like to come with you. Next time."

Tenten smirks, patting Neji's shoulder soothingly. "You know you don't have to ask. But . . . would Hiashi-sama really let you go?"

Neji does not answer, lifting himself up on an elbow to gaze down at her. "I'm sure I could persuade him. He's too preoccupied with Naruto and Hinata-sama to pay much mind to me."

Tenten raises an eyebrow. "What?"

Neji gives her the short version of the events that took place over the three months she's been gone—that Naruto and Hinata had confessed to each other and been on a series of very chaste dates throughout the village.

"I bet your uncle loves that," she says, grinning.

Neji nods, winding a hand through the hair at the back of her neck. Thoughtfully, he replies, "Uncle's been having Naruto over for tea, about once a week since they confessed to one another this past winter."

Tenten raises her eyebrows. "Really? Well that's lucky." She shifts onto her side, attempting to push away the uncomfortable feeling that has lodged in her chest.

Neji trails his hand up her arm, turns her face to his. A smile is lingering at his mouth, soft and hopeful. "He was hoping you would come soon, as well, once you got back from your travels."

Tenten stops herself from gaping. "Hiashi-sama wants to have _me_ over for tea?" she asks incredulously.

Neji nods, turning her wrist to his mouth. Lips against her skin, he murmurs in answer, "Yes. He wants to hear about the Treasured Tools. Among other things." He pauses for a moment, gauging her reaction, before continuing, "He wants to know you better—apart from my opinion."

Eyebrow perched, Tenten knows she looks skeptical. But she is also somewhat flattered, knowing that Neji had spoken of her highly enough to receive such an invitation. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she asks, "I don't suppose you told him where you were going to be tonight?"

Neji scoffs and burrows his face into her neck. "That is not a conversation I wanted to have, no."

Tenten snickers and wraps her arms around him.

They lie there for a while in silence, as the evening slips later and later towards morning. Finally, Neji murmurs, "Can you believe that Darui-san gave you the Treasured Tools?"

Tenten shakes her head, mystified. "I'm still processing that, actually. I . . . wasn't expecting it. Not really." She half-smiles, recalling the moment Darui had gifted them. "He said they'd be of more use to me than him. That I'd earned them."

"It's a great honor," Neji comments. Tenten does not miss the pride that shines in his eyes. "When will you put in your bid for Hokage?"

Tenten rolls her eyes. "Be serious," she mutters.

"I am," Neji maintains. "You're a legendary kunoichi—not from any type of kekkei genkai or ancestry." Neji flashes her a quick, contented grin. "It's simply because of who you are—your ingenuity and craftsmanship and technique. You're far greater than anyone gives you credit for."

Tenten beams and Neji looks back at her with a rare, content smile. Tenten leans down to kiss him. She is twenty years old, and feels her future stretching out ahead of her like a long, sunlit road.

* * *

Tenten slips out the next morning while Neji is still asleep.

It is a crisp spring morning, and not many people are out. Tenten walks slowly down the road, rubbing her tired eyes. Though she has only been away for the better part of three months, Tenten can still feel the change in the air. _But is it Konoha that has changed, or just me?_ she wonders.

Pondering this, she enters the cemetery grounds and makes her way to the plot of land next to the wax tree. When she sits beneath the stone marker, Tenten is surprised to see the gravestone is clean and polished. A smile graces her lips, her chest tightening a little at Neji's thoughtfulness.

She sets aside the scroll she'd brought with her and reads Baachan and Jiichan's names, imprinted deep within the stone. She begins, "It's a nice spring day—like the ones that used to make you sing, Baachan—the ones that would make Jiichan tease you about your singing voice. I only just got back from Kumogakure yesterday. Sorry I was away for a while."

Tenten pauses, lifting her eyes to the almost wispy blue color of the sky. Taking a breath, she resumes, "The last year has been . . . interesting. I wish you were here so I could tell you about it." Tenten digs her hands into the grass, leans back on her palms. "While I was in the Land of Lightning, I found out more things about what happened to my parents. They . . . did not have happy lives. It makes me sad that they had so much heartache and pain, that they didn't get the chance to enjoy their freedom, after they escaped.

"Both of you had no idea what I had come from when you took me in. I can't imagine it was easy, taking on an orphan that had no history—you had no idea what you were getting. I know it annoyed you, Baachan, when I'd argue with the boys at school, and Jiichan, I haven't forgotten how much you hated that I'd do target practice on the walls in my bedroom. But . . . you loved me anyway. And I loved both of you." Tenten swipes at the silent stream of tears with the heel of her hand. With slightly shaking fingers, she opens the scroll and summons a lacquered box and her father's kunai. She holds up the kunai, examining it against the shaded sunlight from the wax tree. "I came to ask if you two wouldn't mind sharing your spot with my parents for a while—at least until I can get something else worked out."

A breeze lifts, rustling the wax tree leaves. They are a bright summery green, as if spring is only a passing dream. Tenten smiles and sets the kunai inside the box, suspending it from a wire. She closes the front glass panel and takes a breath. With practiced quickness, Tenten performs the hand seal detailed in the scroll she'd found in the dilapidated beam in the Land of Whirlpools. Briefly, the kunai glows a deep cobalt blue. Tenten lifts the box and turns it in her hands, before balancing it along the smooth ledge of Baachan and Jiichan's grave marker. The blue grooves of the kunai dance with sealed chakra. On the outside of the box, the carved symbols of whirlpools glow with the energy from the kunai.

Tenten sits back on her heels and closes her eyes, feeling the sun on her face. "Baba, Mommy, Jiichan, Baachan—I am legendary now. In my own right."

The breeze picks up again, stirring her bangs. _You are. You are._

Tenten bows her head. "I am grateful for you all," she murmurs, pressing her eyes closed. The wind moves around her, and Tenten hears the echo of her mother's singing, her father's encouraging correction, Baachan and Jiichan's elderly snickers, Gai and Lee's shouts of youth, Neji's not-quite laugh. She smiles.

After a moment of sitting in peace, Tenten stands and brushes herself off. As she turns towards the entrance, she is unsurprised to see Neji waiting for her, face turned towards the sun.

"How'd you know I was here?" Tenten asks as she brushes by him.

Neji breaks away from the post he'd been leaning against and falls into step with her. "Just a guess."

Tenten turns her head, hiding her smile. "Thanks. For taking care of them while I was gone."

"You don't have to thank me for that."

His knuckles brush the back of her hand. She opens her palm to his, letting him lace their fingers together. Tenten smiles, remembering her dream from Madara's world, recalling what Neji has told her of his own. He turns his head, catches her smile, and asks, bemused, "What is it?"

Tenten shakes her head. "I'm just happy to be back," she answers, squeezing his hand.

Lee's promise of lunch hangs in the air and Tenten's stomach growls. She can feel Neji's slight laughter next to her, and she gently punches him in the side with her free hand, grinning.

She thinks of the markers of remembrance she'd just left in the cemetery, the mixture of pain and sadness and joy that the memories brought to mind. Her thoughts ebb and flow towards Gai, always supportive and protective, and Lee, positive to a fault and unfailingly kind. Tenten's gaze skirts to Neji and he looks back at her, his expression open and yielding. The feeling of home—its sentiment of safety, of belonging and comfort overwhelms her.

Neji squeezes her hand. Tenten smiles back at him, and they start down the road, hand in hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Darui gives Tenten three of the Treasured Tools: the [Bashosen](https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/Bash%C5%8Dsen), the [Kokinjo](https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/K%C5%8Dkinj%C5%8D), and the [Benihisago](https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/Benihisago).
> 
> \- At the gravestone, where Tenten is pleased with Neji's thoughtfulness - graves are usually kept clean by the departed's relatives, it's even a part of a Japanese custom called [Obon](https://soranews24.com/2013/08/14/break-out-your-rags-and-incense-a-guide-to-grave-cleaning-etiquette-during-this-obon-season/). Neji took care of their graves while Tenten was away on her trip.
> 
> Writing this story has been incredibly cathartic for me personally. Last year, I had a bad time of it, and this fic really helped me to process some of those emotions and thoughts. One thing that Gai mentioned in this I hope resonated with you, because I've found it to be strikingly true in my own life: our lives are not straight lines. They will diverge in ways we won't have expected, taken dips or detours or end in dead-ends. But what's important to remember is that our journey is not over; there are brighter days on the horizon.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! I have a [Tumblr](https://zealousheart.tumblr.com/), if you want to say hi elsewhere on the web.


End file.
